Political will Key to Women Inclusion – Dogara
BY GLORIA USMAN, ABUJA – Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Yakubu Dogara has said the political will of stakeholders is critical to achieving inclusiveness in political participation.
Dogara, who stated this during a roundtable meeting on improving women’s political participation and inclusion in politics, noted however that women are not ready as they think that politics is a game for men.
The Speaker, who was represented by Joan Mrakpor, therefore advised women not to see politics as a man’s game but as a game for all.
He further said; “Women participation should not be about increasing numbers, but about the ability of participation that would effect meaningful policy change and improve equitable representation”.
While calling on women across the country to step up their participation in politics, Dogara, advised them to always go the extra mile in doing more work to succeed,
He said; “Don’t be scared of men. Rise up and take the bull by the hone because your destiny is in your hands, take it up”.
In her remarks, Chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Relations, Hon Nnenna Elendu-Ukeje, said there is the need to open up the political space, stressing that it is only by hard work that one can win election.
She urged women to form Cooperative, saying that politics has no gender perspective, adding that “you must have a plan and agenda before venturing into politics.”
Also speaking, the president of the Women in Politics, Nigeria, Ms. Ebere Ifendu said political party constitution is a major problem adding that the role of women there is to mobilise vote for men.
According to her; “The recruitment process is faulty, they only work for that woman who will sing their song. There is the need to have more women in party structure as this would create opportunity for fellow women to get ticket to via for elective positions.”
Speaking in turn, Chairman, House Committee on Procurement, Hon Oluwole Oke, said, women are playing with their role in the country.
Oke said; “The future of women politically are in their hands. The power to enforce a change of the status quo lies in the hands of women.
Similarly, Ambassador Ketil Karlsen said there is need for more appetite on the part of women participants in terms of politics in order to reach out to a wider audience of women participant and a shift in political parties to allow more women participate.
In his own remarks, the Director, Policy Legal and Advocacy Centre, who was the convener of the group, Mr Clement Nwankwo said the meeting was aimed at identifying gaps and share strategies to increase the number of women in decision making position across the governance spectrum, and to improve the impact they make on development and democracy.
