Nigeria advocates for increased women's political representation

Stakeholders at the 26th National Council on Women Affairs, Child Advancement and Social Development in Jalingo, Taraba State, have renewed commitments to strengthen policies for women, children, and vulnerable populations in Nigeria.

Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajiya Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, emphasized the need to move from policy commitment to actual implementation. She noted that Nigeria should strive for 50 per cent representation for women to align with the ECOWAS Presidential Declaration on Gender Equality and the Abuja Declaration. The Minister highlighted that national interventions must reach the grassroots level rather than remaining as isolated pilot projects.

Gender advocate Dr. Adetoun Dally also called for increased female participation in political leadership and policymaking. She argued that women's demand for inclusion is essential to ensure that nearly half of the population is represented in decision-making processes. Dally stressed that empowering women begins with providing the girl-child with access to quality education and skills to foster self-reliance and community contribution.