Young Nigerian women want to go into politics – party rules and older men keep them out
Nigerians willreturnto the polls in 2027. Campaigns will commence, crowds will fill the streets for party rallies, but the most consequential decisions about the elections are already happening. They are. . .
Nigerians willreturnto the polls in 2027. Campaigns will commence, crowds will fill the streets for party rallies, but the most consequential decisions about the elections are already happening. They are taking place in party offices, at the homes of powerful political godfathers, and inselection processesthat most Nigerians never attend and sometimes don’t hear about. This is where the most vulnerable group, young women, lose. Nearly half of Nigeria’s population is femaleand more than 70% isyoungerthan 30 years. Yet women and young people continue to be grosslyunderrepresentedin the country’s politics. Nationally, 6. 7% of elected positions and appointments are occupied by women. The global average is 22. 5% and Africa’s is 23. 4%. Those who want to contest for elective offices signify their interest at their wards, where they must secure support before going to the local governments or senatorial zones or states. This depends on the offices they want to vie for. Two changes have been made in the past 10 years to address the underrepresentation of women and young people. The first was the2018 Age Reduction Law, also known as Not Too Young to Run. It lowered the minimum candidacy age to 25 for State Houses of Assembly and the House of Representatives. Then in 2022 the country’s two dominant parties, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), announcedfee waivers for womenand a50% discount for young aspirants. These are fees paid to political parties to purchase nomination forms. Full article. RegionIssuesFocus areasSource URL