The Implications Of Low Women Representation In Government: A Call For Gender Equality

DESPITE significant progress in achieving gender equality in many aspects of society, the representaon of women in government remains a cri cal issue worldwide. Women connue to be underrepresented in poli cal decision-making bodies, including na onal and state parliaments, cabinets, and local governments. This lack of equal representa on has profound implica ons for governance, policy-making, and the overall wellbeing of socie es.

According to a United Na ons Women report on Women representa on in Nigeria Na onal and State Assemblies, only 75 women make up the Na onal Assembly and State Assembly represen ng 5% of the 1459 total seats. In the State Houses of Assembly, out of 990 seats, women occupy only 55 represen ng 6%.

Out of 36 states of the federa on, 14 State Houses of Assembly do not have women as representa ves, including Osun State House of Assembly with 26 cons tuencies. The implica on of this in Osun State is that only men is taking the policymaking decisions.

According to a gender advocate and Execu ve Director, Women Advocates Research and Documenta on Centre, Dr. Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi, this low representaon of women in poli cal posi ons could be linked to the challenges encountered by women while venturing into poli cs.

Akiyode-Afolabi noted, “There’s a lot of violence around poli cs in Nigeria. When you are a woman, you are labelled a pros tute in poli cs, there is also cultural inhibi ons that women should not par cipate in poli cs. The male hegemony within the poli cal par es will tell women to step down for the men.”

“Having a very low representa on of women in the legisla ve arm of government is unhealthy for Nigeria democra c system, “Given the record that we have now, if you look at the Na onal Assembly, we don’t have up to 7% of women. There are some Houses of Assembly in Nigeria where we have just one or in some places where we don’t even have any woman at all in the parliament, and if you look at that in terms of representa on, that is quiet embarrassing especially in a democra c society where par cipa on is cri cal”, Akiyode-Afolabi added.

To another gender advocate, Mr. Bukola Idowu, The Team Lead, Kimpact Development Ini a ve (KDI) promo ng women representa on in governance, par cularly at the legisla ve level must be a deliberate programme of poli cal par es by conceding at least 30% to 35% percent of their candidacy to women.

Osun, one of the states with no women representa on in the 2023 elec on, has three Senators, nine members of the House of Representa ves and 26 members of the state House of Assembly, plus the Governor and Deputy Governor, all being male.

As if that is not enough, some of the appointments made so far are s ll in favour of the male gender. The Secretary to the State Government, the Chief of Staff, the Governor’s Spokesperson as well as the media aides and others to the Governor are all men.

To crown it all, the Speaker of the Osun

State House of Assembly, Hon. Adewale Egbedun’s composi on of staff were all men. It will not be a surprise to have all the Senators and members of the House of Representa ves also appoin ng male assistants.

One of the primary consequences of low women representa on in government is the inadequate considera on of women’s perspec ves and experiences in policymaking. Women’s unique concerns, such as reproduc ve rights, gender-based violence and economic empowerment may not receive sufficient a en on or prior- ity in legisla on and policy development. Without diverse representa on, governments risk overlooking issues that dispropor onately affect women, perpetua ng gender inequali es, and hampering social progress.

Diverse perspec ves are crucial for effec ve decision-making and governance. When women are underrepresented, the perspec ves of half the popula on are not adequately reflected in policy discussions. This lack of inclusivity can result in policies that do not address the needs and aspira ons of women, leading to subop mal outcomes for society as a whole. Increased women representa on in government facilitates inclusive decision-making, enabling a broader range of voices to shape policies and contribute to more equitable outcomes.

Osun Defender

Publisher – Moremi Publishing House Ltd.

Deputy Editor – Ismaeel Uthman

Produc on Editor – Petkola Taiwo Ibitowa

Reporter – Yusuf Oketola

Reporter – Kazeem Badmus

Photo Journalist – Shola Aderinto

Computer Graphics – Zainab Olalere

OSUN DEFENDER is published by Moremi Publishing House Limited, Promise Point Building, Opposite Guarantee Trust Bank (GTB), Gbogan Road Osogbo, State of Osun ISSN : 0794-8050

The underrepresenta on of women in government undermines the principles of democracy and legi macy. Democracy relies on the fair and equal representa on of all ci zens, regardless of gender. When women are not propor onally represented, it raises ques ons about the legimacy of the poli cal system and the extent to which it truly represents the will and interests of the en re popula on. By ensuring equal representa on, governments can enhance democra c values, build trust among ci zens, and foster a more inclusive poli cal environment.

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The presence of women in government is vital for inspiring future genera ons of female leaders. When young girls see women occupying posi ons of power and influence, it expands their aspira ons and empowers them

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Aregbesola’s Legacy: Nigerian Passport Climbs Nine Places In Global Ranking

HE posi ve interven on of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, the immediate past minister of Interior, in Nigerian passport reform has begun to manifest.

A report by an interna onal organisa on, Henley Passport Index, indicated that the Nigerian passport has risen nine places in the latest global passport ranking.

Henley Passport Index is a global ranking of countries according to the travel freedom allowed by those countries’ ordinary passports for their ci zens.

In the recently released index for Quarter 2, 2023, the Nigerian passport rose from its previous 100th posi on to 91st among the 199 countries and 227 travel des na ons studied.

The index showed Gambia, leading the ECOWAS, ranked 72nd, Sierra Leone at 74th,

Cabo Verde at 75th, Ghana at 76th, Benin at 78th, Burkina Faso and Ivory Coast at 79th, Guinea at 80th, Senegal and Togo at 81st, Niger at 82nd, Mali and Guinea Bissau at 83rd, Liberia at 87th and Nigeria at 91st.

This indicated that there is an improved global access for Nigerians.

But the number of countries accessible without visas or with visa-on-arrival s ll stand at 46.

Findings revealed that travellers with Nigerian passports can only traverse 25 countries visa-free as of June 2022. However, the number rises to 45 desna ons when visa-onarrival or e-visa programmes were added.

According to the CEO of Henley & Partners, Dr Juerg Steffen, a fall or improvement in ranking results from several factors, including reciprocity, economic and sociopoli cal stability and tourism.

Commen ng on the