Women

Boosting Women’s Participation In Politics

Published

10 years ago

February 28, 2014

A recent national
forum on mainstreaming gender in governance, organised in Abuja by National Orientation Agency (NOA) and National Centre for Women Development (NCWD), provided another platform for women to canvass adequate participation in politics.
Nigerian women have, on many occasions, been agitating for the rectification of what they describe as lopsidedness in the public office appointments which, they say, are not in their favour.
The women observe that since Nigeria’s independence in 1960, they have been struggling for inclusion in the affairs of the country in spite of their numerical strength and waxing influence.
Citing the country’s general election in 2011 as an instance, they claim that female candidates fared poorly, with only 32 women elected into the National Assembly.
The women point at current records, which indicate that only nine women are among the 109 senators in the Senate, while 27 women are in the 360-member House of Representatives.
However, the women’s advocacy has received the attention of the United Nations Development Programme (NDP) which, via its Democratic Governance for Development project, developed a pilot scheme recently to boost women’s participation in politics.
The scheme particularly aims at supporting the involvement of more female candidates in elections, especially at the local level; as it represents the springboard to the other levels of government.
The programme has trained more than 1,300 female politicians and voters in two pilot states — Plateau and Ekiti — while at the national level; more than 2,000 female politicians have received training in various electoral processes.
Stressing the need for increased women’s participation in politics at the forum, Ms Onyeka Onwenu, the Director-General of NCWD, said that Nigerian women did not have to beg for positions.
She emphasised that the Nigerian women should go beyond the 35 percent affirmative action, set in the 1995 Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing, and demand for 45 percent representation as their right.
She said that no nation could develop without the input of women, adding that tangible efforts should be made to jettison attitudes which denigrated women.
However, the First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, gave the assurance that women would always be recognised in the country’s scheme of things.
According to her, this is because no country can achieve any meaningful development without the active participation of women.
In a message to the forum, Dame Jonathan pledged that she would advocate a level beyond the 35 percent affirmative action, as part of efforts to boost women’s participation in governance to a level that was akin to that of men.
“We are no longer comfortable with the 35 per-cent affirmative action; what we now want is 50-50 with our male counterparts.
“Women are responsible for nurturing the future generation of the country; they should be considered for greater roles in governance,’’ she added.
Mrs Jonathan, however, called on the National Assembly to include the 35 percent affirmative action for women in the constitution, stressing that women would not relent in efforts to pursue their legitimate demands.
“We must continue the campaign on gender mainstreaming in governance, which I have been promoting with other women.
“The campaign has led to the establishment of the Women for Change Initiative as a platform for promoting women participation in politics,’’ she said.
Mrs Funmi Adeyemi, a civil servant, who spoke on women’s participation in politics, said that women should have more roles to play in politics, insisting that women were agents of change in any society.
Mrs Dorcas Jonah, a journalist, said: “Although nature has made it that men should dominate, women should, nonetheless, make themselves relevant in the scheme of things’’.
All the same, Mr Mike Omeri, the Director-General of NOA, said that “the current administration is bent on gender mainstreaming and it will build on the past efforts aimed at giving women and youths the chance to exhibit their talents.
“The agency is poised to take the campaign on gender mainstreaming to every part of the country, especially as it concerns the girl-child who must be educated.’’
The Minister of Culture, Tourism and National Orientation, Chief Edem Duke, said that women ought to be fully involved in the affairs of their country.
He said that President Goodluck Jonathan had pledged to give the needed support to women in their desire to have more representatives in governance.
Meanwhile, the National Democratic Institute, a non-governmental organisation that aids democratic institutions across the world, has said that the equitable participation of women in politics is essential for building and sustaining any democracy.
Former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, the institute’s Chairman, said: “Every country deserves to have the best possible leader; that means women ought to be given a chance to compete.
“If they’re never allowed to compete in the electoral process; then, the countries are really robbing themselves of a great deal of talents.’’

Ogunshola writes for News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, Dr Habibu Lawal (left), with the Minister, Hajiya Zainab Maina, at the National Stakeholders’ Consultative Preparatory Meeting on the 58th session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women in Abuja, recently.
Photo: NAN

Femi Ogunshola

Women

The Wise Woman

Published

1 week ago

April 26, 2024

The Tide

The wise woman builds her home. Mothers are supposed to live exemplary lives. The roles of mothers in the building of the modern Christian home cannot be overemphasized.
The function of the mother is to help the man build the home. She is a helper. A helper to the husband when the man is not doing well. It is important for the wise woman to assist when the man is not able to meet up with the items needed in the home.
A wise woman needs to reference God first and then the husband. Also the wise woman should respect her husband.
Caring for her own children as well as others is very crucial.
Do not despise children from other mothers. Discipline the child who is going the wrong way.
Ensure family bonding, show love and don’t discriminate. Connection with children is very important, especially the females. Find out who is her friend. Also find out the kind of lives they live. Caution, counsel and guide so that they make good partners.
Teaching children the dos and donts should start from birth. Inculcate the word of God in them so that when they grow, will not depart from it.
From the Scripture, some women influenced their families positively. Virgin Mary influenced the world, she never destroyed herself hence she gave birth to Jesus Christ.
Elizabeth, despite her age, God blessed her as she waited patiently.
A wise should curb favouritism in the family and love children equally. Whether a child is your biological child or not, it is necessary to show love equally. Reprimanding the children should be the function of both man and wife.

Women

The Desire Of Every Woman In Marriage

Published

1 week ago

April 26, 2024

The Tide

Marriage is beautiful when there is love. Before and after marriage, couples show love to themselves. But you discover that after some years, that same love turn to be something else. A lot of people start going through emotional trauma in the hands of their loved spouses.
There are many things the woman desires to keep the love on as far as marriage is concerned.
Women are blesssed with feminine abilities that can be used for good in husbands lives. With your abilities, you can create a marriage that will last till couples get old.
A woman needs
man that is honest, trustworthy, nice, loving and financially stable.
There are no two ways about finance in marriage. No matter the level of love, if there is no reasonable finance, it is always difficult to manage the home.
Referring to the Biblical belief in Genesis 3: “Your desire shall be unto you…….. “
What this means is that whatever the woman desires in life shall be provided as far as she performs her role in her home. There are many things the woman expects her husband to take care of.
A woman wants a husband that is not lazy, at least helping to do one or two things when he is at home.
A man that is educated and intelligent so that they will transfer such traits to their children.
Knowing that there are traits that her husband has, traits of taking care of people, giving freely to people and caring for her family. She expects him to exhibit them.
A woman wants to love a husband that has family interest at heart. A man that spends time with his family, remembering his family even as he is away from home.
No matter where he finds himself, he is not destracted by external influence. He returns home to his loved ones.
A woman should not antagonise her husband because of one error or the other. No matter the level of offence he may have committed, you still show some love.
According to the Scripture, it is with wisdom that a woman builds her home. As far as he rreturns home, you accept him as your own.
It is not as if the woman will not monitor her husband, but to certain limit. Don’t be a monitoring spirit. Don’t allow anything to take your joy.
Don’t loose trust in your husband. The idea of checking your husband’s phone should be discouraged. The more you check your husband and his phone, the more you loose your joy.
You can show some form of jealousy, but to an extent. Cooperation, respect and being honoured from time to time is what the woman desires.
The home should not be a battle ground for a woman and man. A woman should be able to ask herself if the check on her husband will pay her any good.
Draw a line to a point where you checkmate your husband’s activities.
A woman wants a man that will love her and telling her you love her will be all she desires.

Women

The Desire Of Every Woman In Marriage

Published

1 month ago

April 5, 2024

The Tide

A woman needs a man that is honest, trustworthy, nice, loving and financially stable.
There are no two ways about finance in marriage. No matter the level of love, If there is no money, it is always difficult.

Referring to the Biblical belief in Genesis 3:Your desire shall be unto you……..
That is one aspect the woman expects her husband to take care of.
A woman wants a husband that is not lazy, at least helping to do one or two things. A man that is educated and intelligent.
She knows that there is a trait that her husband has. Traits of taking care of people, giving freely to people and caring for her family.
A woman wants to love a husband that has family interest at heart. A man that spends time with his family, remembering his family even as he is away from home.
A woman should not antagonise her husband because of one error or the other. No matter the level of offence he may have committed, you still show some love.

According to the Scripture, it is with wisdom that the women builds her home.
It is not as if the woman will not monitor her husband, but to certain limit. Don’t be a monitoring spirit. Don’t allow anything to take your joy.
Don’t loose trust in your husband.
The idea of checking your husband’s phone should be discouraged. The more you check your husband and his phone, the more you loose your joy.

The home should not be a battle ground for a woman and man. A woman should be able to ask herself if the check on her husband will pay her any good.
Draw a line to a point where you checkmate your husband’s activities.
A woman wants a man that will love her and telling her you love her will be all she desires.