Fedpoly Ede receives N3m research grant for women’s political participation

Citizenship/Indigeneship is a major bane of women’s participation in politics. It triggers the feeling of alienation from a community, weakens social cohesion and promotes tension.

“Existing works on women’s political participation have focused on education disadvantage, job stereotyping, unemployment, cultural stereotype and political perception in Nigeria.

“Obviously, less attention has been given to discriminatory citizenship laws, policies and practices affecting women’ s participation in politics and governance in Nigeria.

“There is thus the urgent need to break all barriers militating against women’s participation in politics and governance, including discriminatory Citizenship/ Indigeneship practices in order to attain Sustainable Development Goal (SDG5),” she said.

She added that at the recently organised  maiden stakeholders’ workshop on the project, participants agreed  that the prevalence of discriminatory citizenship/indigeneship against women remained violence against them.

She said women politicians at the workshop noted that a new barrier was  being created each day to exclude women from governance, with political parties demanding for PhD, MSc certificates as part of the conditions for nomination of women into positions.

“There was an eloquent call at the workshop to stop Discriminatory Citizenship/ Indigeneship and other forms of discrimination against women and to also strengthen women voices and participation in current democratic dispensation.

“Changing the mindset and removing all barriers hindering nomination of women for elective and appointive positions is also being advocated,” she said.