Effective Involvement Of Women In Governance As A Panacea To Nigeria Socio-political And Economic Problems

Effective Involvement Of Women In Governance As A Panacea To Nigeria Socio-political And Economic Problems

Chapter One

Preface

Background Of The Study

Gender contradiction in politics is a worldwide miracle, literature abounds showing that the position of women’s participation at the loftiest position of political exertion accounts for their invisibility in the top positions of power. Locally and internationally, similar low representation cut across countries with different political systems and at different stage of profitable development( Rai, 2005 & Pokam, 2006; Amadiume, 199781; Bruce, 2004113; Babatunde, 2003; Bari, 2005).

Popular government depends upon the equivalency of all citizens under the law and it’s sustained by counting upon the participation of all citizens in determining the choices and political processes, who governs them( Sodaro, 2001247, Anifowose, 2004205). The political participation of women is nearly linked with their legal status which has an impact on their capability to contribute to profitable and social progress while also serving from it.

This global low women’s participation in politics has urged the emergence of juggernauts to increase women’s political presence in countries around the world. The first major transnational action in favor of women widely was taken by United Nations in 1946 when it set up a commission on the status of women( Peterson & Runyan, 199911; Akiyode- Afolabi et al, 2003).

During the International Women’s Year in 1975, the UN General Assembly launched the UN Decade for Women( 1976 – 1985) with a view to creating lesser global mindfulness on the status of women and the girl child( Akinboye, 200413). This concern capped with the Fourth World Conference on Women in 1995 held in Beijing, China with the theme “ Equality, Development and Peace ”, the end of which was to review and estimate the achievements of the UN Decade for Women( Omotola, 200733).

The UN Assembly again in 1976 established the Voluntary Fund for the UN Decade for Women to apply the objects of the Decade( Oyekanmi, 200444). It also espoused the Convention on the Elimination of All forms of Demarcation against Women( CEDAW), which came effective in 1981( Rai, 20053). In 1985 still, the General Assembly gave the Organization an expanded accreditation to join the UN group of agencies as the United Nations Development Fund for Women( UNIFEM) with the charge to promote the profitable and political commission of women in developing countries. In addition, the Organization of African Unity( OAU) and the New Partnership for Africa’s Development( NEPAD) work towards strengthening women’s political leadership and their participation in political decision- making bodies( Olojede, 2004120). These events marked a milepost in mortal resource development as it brought women, the other half of the world’s population, into development.

still, despite these transnational instruments to encourage women involvement in political conditioning, the world still substantiations slow progress of women participation in politics( UNDP Report, 2005) which indicates that there are only twelve countries where women attained the critical mass of 30 women representation in the congress, videlicet Rwanda, Sweden Finland, Argentina( IPU, 2007).

In Nigeria, it would appear that women have noway really tested power in the realm of Nigerian politics. still, literature abounds showing women’s participation in politics. The place of women in politics during thepre-modern period is sufficiently familiar. The exploits of fabulous women like QUEEN Aminat of Zauzau, Iyalode Efunsetan Aniwura of Ibadan, tycoons Inikpi of Igala and Emotan of Benin reality come to mind( Abubakar, 1992). During the period, women asserted and expressed themselves politically. Some women who made their mark on political scene at the social period in Nigeria included Mrs Margret Ekpo of the notorious Abba women hoot of 1929, Madam Abibat Tinubu of Lagos and Egbaland, Mrs Funmilayo Ransome Kuti of the Abeokuta women union of 1948 and Hajia Sawaba Ganbo of Northern Element Union( NEPU) to mention a many. Though women enjoyed high political authority in Southern Nigeria, this wasn’t a general miracle; men had always been dominant in the political structure with women completing them. Women conditioning were inferior and supplement to the being structure. In Nigeria studies show that the participation of women in popular politics has been largely low. In liberal republic, political parties, council assemblies and administrative councils are vital sources of decision timber among other power centres. Political parties in particular give the citizens with the occasion of sharing in the operation of a country’s affairs and constitute a major platform for opting and promoting seeker for choices. They also give avenue for mass rallying and provision of political leadership for the Nation. Political parties also organize and partake power in congress as well as influence the decision of government and other administrative bodies. Since the emergence of indigenous political leadership in 1960, Nigeria women have remained unnoticeable in the party system. Women were grossly under- represented in party class as well as in decision making organs. The borderline caching of women in political parties made it delicate for a visible women party constituency to crop or develop.

. Statement of the Problem

The issue of women’s participation in governance in Nigeria gained significant attention, following the country’s return to republic in 1999. The transfer of power from the military governance to a popular administration should have brought about women representation in popular division. still, the result is contrary to anticipation, with the chance increase of 2, 4 and 6 in women participation in republic. The country witnessed6.3,8.8 and7.3 of women representation in the public congress in 1999, 2003 and 2007 choices independently. It’s egregious that the perception that republic would automatically boost women’s participation in governancehas not been validated after about fifteen times of return to popular division in Nigeria( Okocha, 2007; Akioyede- Afolabi, 2003).

While Nigeria has not been suitable to produce a womanish tagged governor since the return of republic in the 1999, many countries have produced womanish deputy- governor out of the 36 countries in the country. As countries like Lagos, Ebonyi, Osun, Imo, Plateau, Rivers, Enugu, Akwa- Ibom and Anambra States, out of the 36 deputy- governors in the country. The probabilities of women in the States ’ Houses of Assembly across the country were1.21,3.84 and5.5 in the 1999, 2003 and 2007 choices independently. In the 2007 choices, Ebonyi State produced only 1 women out of the 22- member State House of Assembly. Though from the foregoing, it’ll be seen that veritably, veritably many women have had the occasion in a leadership position, yet in every one or single case of women, there are several hundreds of the manly counterparts.

Sexism has come a major problem in Nigerian governance. Women have been politically considered exposed species and their low participation in Nigerian government and governanceis frequently associated with culture, religious, profitable constraint and manly jingoism. The African society in general and Nigerian society in particular has placed utmost of the leadership places on the men folk, thereby backing the course of gender inequality.

Economically, some feminist perceive women’s marginality in the conduct and operation of the public affairs as arising from their entrenchment of the globalized plutocrats relations of product. The traditional society didn’t fete the benefactions of women in any decision making process. The women are precisely ignored in any important meeting of the family, community and indeed in government establishments. Till moment, community development meetings are always held at night thereby making it insolvable for utmost women to attend.

A relationship, which ensures that maturity of Nigerian women are peasants and home makers. nevertheless, sexists have failed to unnaturally unravel in their explicatory analysis to the womanlike gender tone- emulating stations. womanlike gender- tone-destructive factors is the decline of women participation in government and it’s frequently lay in exist analysis, for case, the 1991 population tale put the number of Nigerian women at about 44 million which is nearly 50, and by recrimination, half of the Nigerian electorates( National Population Census Commission). This electoral power has not been converted to assertive womanlike electoral and political advantages over the times( NNCC Report, 1991).

In recent history, still, especially in the wake of the renaissance and also in the 2011 general choices, numerous women have risen up to the challenges of the time. numerous women have come to assume leadership positions, thereby sharing in governanceacross Nigeria. This is a giant step in the right direction as it’ll go a long way in encouraging women participation in governancein Nigeria society.

The 2011 and 2015 general choices presented women with good openings to navigate the way to power, those in attendance were womanish lawmakers, representative of colorful women’s groups, women and manly gender activists, the request women’s association, professional associations and media interpreters. All these groups of women are after the appearing the 35 Affirmative Action Committee by the former President, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan.

The 2011 and 2015 general election was seen as a good platform to authenticate the voting pattern of Nigerian women and their participation in governance. It’s truly apparent the active participation and the support of women to the 2011 and 2015 juggernauts and choices, hence the need for reflection and concentrated advocacy for the conscious and quality addition of women in the structures of the recently tagged government and congress through clear pronouncements and action, thereby promoting governance( AIT’s Focus Nigeria, 2012).

Objects of the Study

This exploration study aims at probing the effect of women involvement in Governance as a nostrum to Nigeria Socio- profitable problem. In performance of this thus, this study hopes to achieve the following points and objects

1. To pierce the nature of women’s involvement and participation in politics and government and effect on development in Ebonyi State.

2. To validate the current script of Women’s participation in development in Ebonyi

3. To identify the profitable disadvantages associated with the women failure to share in government on Ebonyi state development in from 1999- 2015.

4. To make some suggestions that will enhance women’s participation in governance