The Minister of Women Affairs, Pauline Tallen, has identified the injustice against women in governance under President Muhammadu Buhari’s regime as a significant setback to the country’s development.

The minister stated this on Friday in Abuja at a news conference while giving updates on the status of women’s inclusion and participation in governance, both at the state and subnational levels.

“For instance, currently in the House of Representatives, out of 360 members, only 18 are women, representing about 4.61 per cent; Senate has eight women out of 109 members, representing 7.34 per cent.

“The same trend, even worse, runs down all levels of governance in the states and local government areas. Available data from 12 out of 36 states are a clear demonstration of the injustice perpetrated in the election and appointment of women,” she said.

She added, “According to the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report Ranking on Women Political Participation, Nigeria is worse off in 2019  (102nd) than nine years ago when it ranked 99th worldwide.  This is a growing concern for Nigerian women.”

Mrs Tallen stated that over the years, there had been a sustained poor representation and gender imbalance of women in critical areas, saying that there was a need to change the narrative.

The minister stated that the women would only support political parties that were ready to fill in at least 35 per cent of women’s representation in elective and appointive positions and provide for women in their party structures and manifestos.

She identified the injustice against women as the reason for low levels of development in security and peace processes, health, education, ICT development, finance, trade and investments, among others.

“Statistics from the 12 states show that we do not have a female secretary to government; of 287 state assembly members in 12 states, only 23 are women; of 2,050 special assistants, only 425 are females.

“Of 325 local government chairmen, only 31 are females, 73 vice-chairmen and 368 females out of 2,075 councillors of LGAs. This cannot continue,” she stated.

According to her, in a few weeks, women would be launching a project called ‘Women Reconnect for New Nigeria Initiative (WR4NNI) as a new social mobilisation and sensitisation movement ahead of the 2023 general elections. 

She added that 50 per cent of political posts must be reserved for women, as well as mainstreaming of gender into party politics at all levels, both federal, state, and LGAs.

(NAN)