We are excited to bring you this special issue of PLAC BEAM on Women and Politics. In this edition, we explore the under-representation of women in the Nigerian legislature, particularly, the National and State Houses of Assembly and NGO efforts on this issue.
Last month, March 2022, was celebrated worldwide as women’s history month. March 8th is specifically earmarked as International Women’s Day; a day dedicated to celebrating the achievements of women throughout history and raising awareness of women’s issues. Many countries and organisations mark this day in different ways, ranging from speaking events and conversation on women’s rights and issues to calls-for-action for increased representation, equality, and diversity across the board. This year’s campaign theme was #BreaktheBias with the sub-theme, “Gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow.”
For countries who have made giant strides in this regard, it was just another day to celebrate their achievements and solidify plans towards even greater success. But for Nigeria, the experience was different. On March 8, 2022, Nigerian women were camped outside the gates of the National Assembly in Abuja protesting the veto of five women-issue bills that were proposed for inclusion in the Constitution. The sit-out began a week earlier, on March 1, 2022, the day the votes were taken. For many women, it was indeed an awful and unexpected women’s month gift. Over the years, women activists have fought to address women’s under-representation in elective offices but have met only resistance and disappointment.
This edition looks at the work of some key NGOs that have played a role in this regard and features interviews and insights from their advocacy. The highlight of the issue is PLAC BEAM’s interview with Chief Franca Afegbua, the first elected female senator in Nigeria who won the seat for Bendel-North district in 1983.
Also presented are articles exploring the use of gender quotas to elect women, as well as the experiences of other African countries in this regard. Of course, we did not forget to include our recommended reading for this edition, which is a research document published by PLAC in 2018 titled: “Women’s Political Representation in Nigeria: Why Progress is Slow and what can be done to Fast-track it.” This document contains valuable information for readers who want to understand the problem and how it can be addressed. We also bring back PLAC’s documentary from 2017 titled “Under-Represented” which presents the experiences and challenges of women running for political offices, in their own words.
Going forward, PLAC BEAM would be bringing you more insights on topical issues affecting the NGO community on a quarterly basis.
We hope you find this special issue enjoyable and informative.
Happy Reading!