Women in Nigerian politics
Rebecca Small, who teaches at Herndon High School in Virginia, sent along these recommendations that she found valuable.Thanks, Rebecca. (You can send me links to things you find valuable in teaching your course, too. I'm only one person.)
The role of women in politics is an issue to discuss in all political systems. Of the six AP countries, women have the best opportunities in the UK. The Labour Party has rules to guarantee women positions on the ballot to ensure the election of a good number of women to Commons. There are four women in the coalition government's cabinet.
The role of women in the politics and government of the other five nations is pretty invisible. While there are many women delegates to the National People's Congress in China, none of them are in the top ranks. There's one woman in Putin's cabinet, two in Ahmadinejad's, two in Calderon's, and two in Jonathan's.
These articles offer the beginnings of a discussion about the roles of women in Nigerian politics.
Nigeria: Women for Change Initiative
If you walk into any of the meetings of Women for Change Initiative (W4CI) and find the crème-de-la-crème of the Nigerian society sitting side-by-side the commoners, conversing, don’t be surprised…
It started on July 16, 2010, when about 2,000 Nigerian women turned up… at the International Conference Centre, Abuja to declare: Yes We Can, at the launch of Nigeria’s Women For Change Initiative, the pet project of the First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan.
Fifteen years after Beijing pronouncement of 35 per cent affirmative action for women, the women have realised that no threats can move the men to support them, hence the First Lady has changed tactics. Rather than demand, she is now appealing…
The Women For Change Initiative is a Nigerian gender focused movement for mobilising women to take active interest in affirmation action, which is promoting women’s empowerment and gender equality in the society. Its broad objective is commitment to the creation of a movement that will engender the mass awareness of women, at all levels, to their human rights and obligations as citizens of Nigeria.
The NGO specifically wants to advance strategies for gender equality, equity and promotion of Affirmative Action principles; and mechanisms for effective resource management and accountability; develop a mechanism which could enhance the legislative processes in Nigeria, including domesticating international instruments to which Nigeria is a signatory...
Sarah Jubril - the Last Woman Standing
CALL her the last woman standing and you will not be wrong. She is the only woman challenging President Goodluck Jonathan and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar in today's quest for the presidential flag of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
And across the 63 political parties, she is the only woman of substance still fighting to occupy the Aso Rock seat of power…
A veteran presidential aspirant of sorts and in her early 60s, Jubril's presidential ambition dates back to 1992. She was an aspirant in the defunct Social Democratic Party, SDP in the botched Third Republic. She also aspired in 1998 on the platform of the PDP and lost the presidential ticket to Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo, who went on to win the polls…
Nigeria: Lip Service to Women Participation in Politics?
The PDP Presidential primaries have come and gone, leaving a question on the lips of many Nigerians if the participation of Nigerian women in politics is just mere lip service.
Ruth Tene Natsa wonders if the women are only paying lip service to the idea that women should be involved in politics. Excerpts:
How else can one describe the singular vote cast (which was by the way self-voted),at the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential convention where not a single vote was allotted to the only female candidate, Sarah Jubril , by both men and women delegates alike…
This show of lack of faith in the Nigerian woman has made me realise that imbued in the Nigerian woman is a strength and determination never to give up in spite of the many challenges facing us. Sarah Jubril has shown severally, that she is not one to give up, despite the many disappointments that have dogged her political foray and for that I doff my hat to a great woman…
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Labels: gender, Nigeria, political culture, politics, women
posted by Ken Wedding @ 6:52 PM
1 Comments:
Anne McCanless, who teaches at Providence High School in North Carolina wrote, "I wanted to respond to the Women article posted on the 23rd. The article written said women have the greatest opportunities is the UK and I would think that but nothing was mentioned about Mexico where it is required to have a certain number of women in legislative bodies
Am I wrong?
Anne S. McCanless
I replied:
By numbers, Mexico has a slightly greater percentage of women legislators 131/500; UK's Commons has 128/650. There are two women in President Calderon's cabinet; 3 in the UK cabinet. Those numbers seem to indicate an equality between the two countries.
Thanks for pointing it out. I was probably operating with the machismo stereotypes in my head.
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