GENDER EFFECT ON POLITICS

Our discussion on gender equality continues as we extend to politics, politics as we all know is the propaganda which is employed to contest for the positions involved in governing a nation. It also comprises the system of leadership of a nation, the opinion of leaders and other political aspirant as well as the principle involved in leadership, the constitutional body of law which is twisted by the National Assembly as in Nigeria or House of the Lords as in Britain. Politics help in building the governmental bodies that make up the system of a government. And without it, the nation/s system of leadership becomes ineffective.

Using Nigeria as a case study to Gender effect on politics, We are going to study this topic under Gender representation in Nigerian politics and public life. Women involvement in politics and public services has remained constantly low. Through international and constitutional provisions have been made to address this issue of representation, the situation remains unchanged. As a result, the call for increased women participation in politics refuses to meet up with demands as a result of poor Educational status of women in the society. To solve this critical issue, I suggest that governmental and non Governmental Agency should plan programs to help improve women’s levels and standards of Education through charitable and financial empowerment. Why charitable? In the Northern Part Nigeria, lots of women are uneducated, and don’t even have the courage to move forward. This is because the level of Education over there is not competitive as in the east and there is nothing to motivate them to go to school. Even the Northern Nigerian government made their Education free, yet they see it as a burden. Some of these females from the Hausas tribe in Nigeria get married at the age of 12 year while other at the age 14years and start bearing children for their Husbands. They have gone so far as seeing it as a culture; it is only the educated ones that have attained the height of leadership in the political arena understand what it meant for a woman to go to school and graduate. So there is need for this so illiteracy syndrome in women at Northern Nigeria to be curbed. And to help to achieve these objectives, the World Health Organization bodies like UNICEF, UNISAID, UNDP, DFID, UNESCO, WACOL, HUMAN RIGHT commission etc. should endeavor to host programs in the affected states in the Northern Nigeria by embarking on teaching about the important of Education to women in the society. I think this will help to boost the quality of Education in Northern Nigeria as well as improve the participation of women in politics and public service of the nation.

Coming to the eastern, western and Southern part of Nigeria, the Yorubas and the Ibos women are rated high in politics, more especially the Yoruba’s, we have recorded first deputy governor in Lagos state as a women recently. Also coming to the area of public service, we have more of female lawyer and Judges in ONDO state Nigeria, Akure remains where every woman is aspiring to be a professor. I mean the level of female literacy in the west is very high to compare with every tribe in Nigeria. I wish this competitive nature amongst women over there should extend to every part of the country.

On the other hand, some women in the east who aspire and are eager to venture into Education are hindered and limited by sponsors and resources. If this international organization in Nigerian will help to invest in this area, like the United Kingdom that were encouraging Nigerian to embark seriously in Gender Equality should endeavor to help solve these issue for the countries. Our higher institutions school fees should be minimize for an average female working clerk to meet up with the demands for some of them that has taken it upon themselves to further their education on part time basis because of economic crises in the country. What of world Bank that sometimes invest their money in Nigeria for road construction awards of contracts to development banks and other private construction company should invest those money on Education of female to improve Gender equality in the country which enhance women representation in the politics of the nation Nigeria as well as bringing about civilization.

Still on the Education as the basic cause for women inefficient participation in politics of any nation, not only Nigeria, it extends to other under developed countries that have not embarked in Gender Equality as in Europe. The blame is sometime shifted to the male Gender who promotes the perpetuation of cultural values that sustain gender differentiation in access to decision making position. I could remember when the Late PRESIDENT UMARO MUSA YARADUA died, there was a serious contention who to take over the leadership of the country in house of senate. LATE PROFESSOR DORA AKUNYILI stood her ground as a woman minister for information and communication amongst other ministers to contribute immensely to the appointment of the last PRESIDENT GOODLUCK JONATHAN. It was a bone of contention amongst the tribes in Nigeria in the house of Assembly, but despite the opposition to the minister of information and communication coupled with the accusation that were coming from the floor members in the house, she stood her ground to defend every statement and questions thrown to her. It takes education and excellence coupled with hard work for a woman to act in that capacity. Women, men will shout down on you, but they cannot touch you, they dare not because you are covered and empowered by law, so act in the capacity of your empowerment. Exercise your right without being afraid of any personality that will oppose your opinion, speak out! Because it might be your own opinion that will create a difference and settle every dispute, we need women for politics to succeed.

Down through the Ages women have been mistreated and often considered to be second-rate humans. In political and public arena, level of women involvement has been very low, thereby leading to the low emergence of number of feminist movement to shake off this unpleasant situation. The consciousness of this act has generated much talk among women leaders about the need to upgrade the level of gender awareness in the society; for policy making to become gender sensitive so that women can meaningfully contribute to the transformation of human race in this our 21ist Century. If women are recognized in the society, the role of political harassment and insecurity on gender representation will be forgotten issues on their side. It is also important to understand that globally gender equality has effects on the repositioning in Politics.

ONYIA EMEKA HARFORD

(PUBLISHER/WRITER: +2348186388641)