Ene Oshaba writes on the benefits political parties should consider with regard to the gender clause in the 10th National Assembly (NASS)
Synopsis
Over the year, Nigeria has recorded low representation of women in both elective and appointive positions. Yet, the few elected ones hardly occupy positions where they could address societal issues from a more balanced view and with a gender perspective.
It is on account of this that both state and non-state actors make concerted efforts to increase the level of women’s participation in politics in line with the 35% Affirmative Action.
One such effort is the National Gender Policy (NGP) which also recommended 35% affirmative action. NGP was put in place to increase women’s representation in parliament and other elective and appointive positions generally to encourage inclusive governance.
However, women are still marginalized in positions due to patriarchy aided by socio-cultural, traditional, and religious norms.
Statistics of women’s representation in 24 years
Available statistics show that the national average of women’s political participation in Nigeria has remained 6.7 percent in elective and appointive positions, which is far below the Global Average of 22.5 percent, Africa Regional Average of 23.4 percent, and West African Sub Regional Average of 15 percent.
The gender imbalance in the membership of the National Assembly has persisted since 1999 when only sixteen (16) women were elected to the National Assembly with thirteen (13) in the House of Representatives and three (3) in the Senate.
The total number increased to 25 in 2003 with twenty-one (21) in the House and four (4) in the Senate. The highest number of women ever to be elected to the National Assembly is thirty (36) in 2007 with twenty-seven (27) in the House and nine (9) in the Senate. Since then, there has been a steady decline to thirty-two (32) in 2011, twenty-two (22) in 2015, and eleven (11) in 2019.
A report titled “Monitoring participation of women in politics in Nigeria” by the United Nations (UN) Statistics Division noted that ‘despite all efforts put in place, the 35% affirmation remained a mirage.
Six administrations between 1999 and 2023
President Obasanjo occupied the office of president between 1999 and 2007, President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua (2007-2010), President Goodluck Jonathan (2010-2011; 2011-2015) and President Muhammadu Buhari (at present).
The position of vice president in Nigeria followed the same trend as that of the president. Four males have dominated the seat since the return of democracy in 1999.
The Senate and House of Representative
Since the return of democracy in 1999, the Senate has been dominated by males. In 1999 there were only 3 women out of the 109 members representing 2.8 percent of the members of the Senate.
In 2007 the number increased to 8 (7.3 percent). However, there was a decrease from 8 women members in 2007 to 7 in 2011 which is 6.4 percent, and 8 (7.3 percent) in 2015.
In 1999, the number of women in the House of Representatives was 12 out of 360 members which were about 3.3 percent. But increased to 21 (5.8 percent) in 2003. It was 26 (7.2 percent) in 2011, and in 2015 the number of women in the House of Representatives decreased to 19 (5.3 percent) out of 360 members.
This situation has grossly affected growth and development in many areas, given the fact that over 50% of the nation’s human resource in women is neglected in leadership positions, depriving the country of their contributions.
Incoming 10th Assembly
The clamour for the leadership of the 10th National Assembly including the House of Representatives and the Senate is currently ongoing with no woman in the picture. Even when capable hands abound, most political parties do not consider having women in the driver’s seat important.
Last week, the Senate Spokesperson, Ajibola Bashiru, disclosed that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) leadership and lawmakers will consider many variables to arrive at electing presiding officers for the 10th National Assembly.
Bashiru who revealed this in Abuja on Channels’ TV Sunrise Daily noted the variables which the leadership of both the Senate and the House of Reps will consider, regrettably, gender is not being considered.
“The leadership of the party, as well as the members of the 10th Assembly, will have to look at so many variables such as religion, geo-political zone, amongst others.”
It then brings to memory that after twenty-four years of uninterrupted democratic governance (1999-2023), aside from the brief interval Patricia Olubunmi Foluke Etteh served as the speaker of the House of Representatives (June to October 2007) Nigeria is yet to produce any female at the leadership of NASS. They were not even considered for the position of deputy. Also, in all 36 states, no governor is female. Adamawa state where a woman is running for governor is still highly contested.
Organizations like BAOBAB for Women’s Human Rights deemed it necessary to profile women in the 10th NASS and sub-national levels with tested and trusted track records for leadership positions.
Other women’s organizations such as the Women in Politics Forum (WiPF) have also called on political parties to consider gender variables when choosing the leadership of the 10th NASS because women would better push forward societal issues as they affect women and men differently.
“As preparations are being made to inaugurate the 10th National Assembly, we call on political parties with elected members in the parliament, to uphold the provisions of the National gender policy and be intentionally gender inclusive, mainstreaming and considering gender as a necessary factor when zoning Principal offices in the National Assembly.
“We are particularly interested in the House of Representatives election for principal office where we have female members as some of the high-ranking officers in the house with some returning for the 4th time,” said the WiPF National President Ebere Ifendu.
“It will therefore be completely disregarding to Nigerian women if, with the calibre and ranking of female parliamentarians in the House of Representatives, no female member ranks among the principal officers of the House of Representatives in the 10th National Assembly,” she added.
Call to the incoming administration
As it is tradition, on May 29th a new administration would be sworn into office and appointments of the NASS leadership will commence.
The National Assembly leadership is crucial to the achievement of rights of women especially those contained in treaties and laws that Nigeria has committed and signed into such as the Maputo Protocol, the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Child Rights Act (CRA), 35% Affirmative Action and others yet to be made law like the Gender and Equal Opportunities (GEO)Bill, most especially the five Gender Bills still under consideration of the 9th Assembly.
The Executive Director of Baobab for Women’s Human Rights Ms. Bunmi Dipo-Salami, is calling for an inclusive process that will elect both women and men into leadership positions.
For many years back the Senate President and Deputy, the Speaker and Deputy Speaker, and Majority Leader positions are all male-dominated, we are expecting a change from the norm this time around with the new incoming administration.
“Tinubu’s leadership style particularly has a record of inclusiveness and Nigerian women are expecting to see this manifest at the national level, especially at the NASS leadership levels,” she said.
