Women Pledge to Support Female Candidates in 2023

Women rose from a 2-day conference in Abuja with a resolution to support female candidates vying for political offices and stop waiting for men to help them get elected.

The women, drawn from the academia, political, civil society, media and security sectors, agreed to support fellow women even as they called on women across the country to register to vote in the 2023 general election.

They also encouraged women to contribute money to support female candidates and stop depending on men to fund their campaign.

The women said that until more women are put in decision making positions, issues affecting them will continue to be on the back burners.

They also called on President Muhammadu Buhari to fulfil his campaign promise to comply with the 35 per cent affirmative action as part of efforts to enhance the inclusion of women in the nation’s leadership.

While welcoming participants to the conference, the Country Director, ActionAid Nigeria, Ene Obi said the conference with the theme: ‘Women, peace and society,’ was an opportunity for a “deeper reflection on gender perspective of the rising insecurity which threatens, not just our national unity, but our individual and collective peace.

“We continue to see conflicts fought on women’s bodies. We have seen women used as weapons and targets of violence. The disproportionate impact of insecurity on women and girls – children cannot be ignored.

“We therefore must act as fast as possible to stop this expanding insecurity in Nigeria. Acting requires Nigeria to operationalise, in all regions of the country, the provisions of the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325, which enjoins all states to facilitate women’s participation and leadership in peace and security, and which Nigeria committed herself to.

“Acting requires Nigeria, not to be doing this in piece meal, but to be holistic in her response. This implies ensuring that all states are prepared to domesticate and implement the action plans.

“Therefore, the time to act is now. There is no better time than now to enthrone peace. And without women and girls sitting on the table and being part of the peace processes, there will be no advancement in peace and security in the nation.”

said.

In his contribution, the Acting High Commissioner of Canada in Nigeria, Kevin Tokar argued that gender inequality and lack of respect for women’s rights accounted for growing levels of violence, conflict and instability in Nigeria.

He said: “I am sure all of you here today would agree that finding solutions to these problems will depend on Nigeria’s ability to involve more women in decision-making processes, whether in national or state assemblies, in the policing and justice systems, in community-level peace building and governance, and in the highest levels of the business world.

“So much progress has already been made, thanks to your collective efforts. Yet, we know that societal changes take time. But history has shown us time and time again that once the wheels start moving — and they undoubtedly have in Nigeria — they will not stop,” Tokar said.

The Annual National Women Conference is organised under the auspices of the Women’s Voice and Leadership (WVL) in Nigeria Project, a five-year project funded by Global Affairs, Canada and implemented by ActionAid Nigeria.