By Amos Aar
THE State Coordinator, Gender and Constitution Reform Network (GECORN), Mrs Elizabeth Jeiyol, said corruption and monetization of the political space pose barriers to women participation in Nigeria’s electoral processes.
Jeiyol made this known at an event organised by GECORN in partnership with Women Advocates Research and Documentation Centre (WARDC) as well as Women’s Rights Advancement and Protection Alternative (WRAPA) also supported by Macarthur Foundation in Makurdi on the theme: Impact of violence and corruption in 2023 election: gender integrity and accountability.
The coordinator lamented that Nigeria had been grappling with issues of corruption and the undue influence of money in politics, which had detrimental effects on gender equality and the inclusion of women in political decision making.
“Monetization in politics has created financial barriers for women and has promoted vote buying and selling as well.
“It has promoted negative patronage networks where political actors exchange favours and resources for political support and exacerbates existing gender bias and discrimination within the political sphere.
“GECORN strongly urges the Government of Nigeria, political parties, civil society organizations and the international community to take immediate and comprehensive actions to address these pressing issues in politics,” Jeiyol said.
She appealed to the legislature to enact and enforce legislation that would promote gender affirmative action, stressing that the law should ensure a minimum representation of women in electoral positions, thereby fostering gender equality and inclusive governance.
Mrs Jeiyol also stated that the legislature should further strengthen laws and institutions in order to enhance legal frameworks and institutional mechanisms to protect women from gender based violence during electoral processes.
She further advocated for elimination of all forms of discriminatory practices against women, emphasizing that government should undertake targeted efforts to challenge and transform sociocultural norms and discriminatory practices that impede women’s political participation.
“This includes engaging communities, religious leaders, and opinion makers in promoting gender equality and women’s rights.
“Also, government at both the Federal and State levels should establish dedicated funding mechanisms to support women candidates and political parties that prioritize gender equality.
“This will enable women to access the necessary resources, including campaign financing to compete effectively in elections,” she said.
The coordinator also urged government to enforce existing anti-corruption laws and implement stringent measures to combat vote buying, embezzlement, and other corrupt practices during elections.
She stated further that the government should ensure that there are regulations to promote transparency and accountability in campaign financing, such as public disclosure of campaign contributions and expenditures, stressing that it could go a long way to help in providing a level playing field for women candidates and reduce the influence of money in politics.
Above all, the GERCON Coordinator called on stakeholders to collaborate in fostering an enabling environment that would respect and uphold women’s rights, encourage their meaningful participation, and promote gender equality in Nigeria’s political processes.
