NATIONAL CONFERENCE ON WOMEN POLITICAL PARTICIPATION IN NIGERIA

As part of the measures employed to take stock of the experiences of women throughout the 2019 and previous electoral cycles, in order to analyse gains and persisting challenges, as well as elaborate key lessons learned which can inform a strategy of support to women in future political process and elections., a national conference on women political participation in Nigeria was convened by a coalition partners working within the electoral and inclusivity sector.
 

The European Center for Electoral Support (ECES) under the European Union Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria (EU-SDGN) in partnership with the Women in Politics Forum (WIPF), UN Women,  the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), International Foundation for Electoral Support (IFES), the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD), the Federal Ministry of Women’s Affairs and Social Development (FMWASD), the Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC), the Nigeria Women Trust Fund (NWTF), Women’s League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF) organized a two-day event in Abuja to create room for discussions and deliberations on the way forward for women in politics. 
 

Participants at the National Conference on Women Political Participation included women aspirants and candidates in the 2019 elections, representatives of political parties, elected women representatives at the National and state levels, civil society organizations and donor partners. 
 

Discussions at the conference revolved round topics such as; Role of Political Parties with respect to women political participation in Nigeria, Civil Society Engagements with respect to women political participation in Nigeria, Role of Media with respect to women political participation in Nigeria, Election Management Bodies/The Electoral Legal framework with respect to women political participation in Nigeria, The role of private sector with respect to women political participation in Nigeria, Election Security and Violence against Women in Elections/Politics, International community engagement and interventions to promote women in politics.
 

 While speaking during the opening ceremony, the Country representative of the UN Women Ms. Comfort Lamptey remarked that at the end of the conference a clear roadmap that can ensure greater success for Nigerian women in politics come 2023 should have been reached.
 

At the end of the deliberations for which each session was facilitated by notable persons in that field, the President of Nigerian Women Trust Fund (NWTF), Mufuliat Fijabi, supported by the CEO Women Radio, Toun Okewale Sonaiya led the mapping out of actionable steps that each group can begin to run with.
 

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