Opinion

Gender Disparity In Politics And Governance: Issues And Prospect

Published

3 years ago

August 26, 2021

By Olowookere Hamidat

Gender is a socially constructed disparity of inequality of status between men and women. Gender inequality comes in different shades. These include mortality inequality, basic facility inequality, special opportunity inequality, professional inequality, ownership inequality, household inequality, etc.

Today, the global concern is to advance equal opportunities for both men and women. That is the need for women and men to enjoy the same opportunities, outcomes, rights, and obligations in all spheres of life. This happens when men and women are able to share equally in the distribution of power and influence; have equal opportunities enjoys equal access to education. However, in spite of the National Gender Policy developed towards addressing gender-related issues and concern to the elimination of all forms of discrimination against women, and the contributions of women in the election process, it has not yielded substantive results.

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Today women continue to be underrepresented in governments across the nation and face barriers that often make it difficult for them to exercise political power and assume leadership positions in public affairs..

Arguments for Women active participation in politics

The first argument for women’s inclusion in building successful democracies is that women do not only constitute the majority in terms of population, In fact, half of the world’s population.

Women’s equal participation with men in power and decision-making is part of their fundamental right to participate in political life and inclusive growth and sustainable development.

iii. The need for peace and sustainability. Without a substantial number of women in representation, there is little chance for women to have any distinct input in the shaping of the common good. As the saying goes, a democracy without women is just but half a democracy.

Another argument is poverty affects women in often-disproportionate ways and will not be removed without women’s full participation as agents in the process.

Furthermore, the welfare of children, for example, will not be improved without targeting women as critical agents of development.

Moreover, women have been recognized as having an untapped pool of resources, whose skills should be made better use of.

Women’s full and effective political participation is a matter of human rights, inclusive growth, and sustainable development.

vi.. The active participation of women, on equal terms with men, at all levels of decision-making and political involvement, is essential to the achievement of equality, sustainable development, peace, and democracy and the inclusion of their perspectives and experiences into the decision-making processes.

Constraints:

The marginalization from the political sphere often is a result of persisting gender stereotyping of politics as exclusively as a men’s activity and the perception of politics as ‘dirty business.’ Facing these deeply held stereotypes and beliefs is not easy for most women.

The disproportionate effect of poverty on women. Specifically, economic reasons, such as poorly paying jobs and limited access to large funds necessary for running successful campaigns put them in a disadvantaged position.

iii. Lack of political from the political parties who only think of how they can expand the power and win elections. Anything that does not give these is seen as impractical. It is within political parties that the marginalization of women’s rights, skills, and experiences has been most visible. This has jarred the confidence of women in their ability to participate in political processes.

Related to the above is the presence or absence of regulation such as the national quota for women. The presence or absence of gender equality perspective in the internal statutes and the presence or absence supportive framework for promoting women dictates the levels of women’s participation. This is to say that the opinions of the party leadership on gender equality and the style of decision-making processes they apply have a huge impact, especially during the selection process.

The few successful female politicians are seen as ‘un-feminine or perceived as ‘honorary men’. Thus women give up a chance of a political career very early on in the selection process, by losing the motivation to become a candidate.

The expectations placed on women to maintain all family order, provide care of both children and the household, make political career excruciating. In some cases, a decision to take up the office might end up in a divorce, and only those women who are older and have grown-up children or those few who have supportive partners can afford a smoother political career. The stress and guilt indirectly make it difficult and prevents women from taking up a political career.

vii. The media coverage of female versus male political candidates has recently been cited as another barrier in breaking the glass ceiling for women in politics. News coverage of women candidates running for election is often covered in a negative, stereotypical, and often sexist way. For example, Some women are portrayed as sex objects while others are attacked for their lack of femininity in print, television, and social media.

Way out

To understand the reasons and the existing opportunities for change, we need to consider several issues more thoroughly.

First, We need a good understanding of the barriers women face in a political system that prevents them from entering political-decision making in adequate numbers.

Secondly, there is a need to understand the history of women’s involvement in politics alongside the structural and cultural factors that have led to their marginalization. Understanding these issues will shed some light on the available solutions, help evaluate current proposals for action, and suggest an alternative strategy.

Given the above, there is the need for implementation of regulatory policies or concrete legal changes to determining the position of women on the party lists and to affirm the all-inclusive women in government. That is proportional Representative for women’s political participation.

The government could reward parties that have a critical mass of women on the lists or at the top of the lists with extra funding, higher thresholds for external funding, or extra campaign time on public television.

The incentive would be another way to persuade political parties to change their gendered selection practices.

Government national gender offices, Non-Governmental organizations, and women groups can improve the position of women in political parties.

Need for pre-election coalitions of Women groups and elect/vote for women campaigns with the main aim of getting more women elected and Elect/Vote for women campaigns, which is a significant step.

Positive media attention is changing public perception of women in politics for leaders of political parties to promote women among their candidates.

More grassroots pressure for women’s groups to be persuaded that they are capable of holding public office and that women have the potential to be successful politicians.

Conclusion

The success of gender equality and strategy in politics requires:

The need to help more women overcome their personal lack of self-belief, Provide more pressure on the level of political leadership in order to include adequate numbers of women on electoral lists in the places where it counts, and Persuading the voters to further change their perceptions of women politicians so that more women would actually get elected.

Olowookere Hamidat is a Mass Communication student of Bayero University Kano, born in Ilorin, Kwara State.

Related Topics:Gender Government Nigeria

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Opinion

Exposing the fraud in NASS budget-Jaafar Jaafar

Published

21 hours ago

May 2, 2024

Nigerian Tracker

By Jaafar Jaafar

In an unprecedented budget fraud, the National Assembly has appropriated N370 billion on running costs, contingency, vague and duplicated projects for the Senate and House of Representatives in the 2024 Appropriation Act.

I’m not talking about the hundreds of billions of naira padded in other ministries, departments and agency, but what they budgeted for their welfare and running of the National Assembly.

In the N370 billion NASS budget, the lawmakers duplicated projects and created new, unnecessary projects that increased the budget from N170billion in 2023 to N370 billion this year.

In budget (under Statutory Transfers ), the NASS budgeted 36,727,409,155 for the National Assembly Office; N49,144,916,519 for the Senate; N78,624,487169 for the House of Representatives; N12,325,901,366 for the National Assembly Service Commission and; N20,388,339,573 for Legislative Aides.

A senator recently told me that each of them (and members of the House of Reps) is entitled to five aides, while the four presiding officers (Senate President, Speaker and their deputies) have at least 3,000 aides. In total, you are talking about over 5,000 aides!

Despite the foregoing, the NASS budgeted N30,807,475,470 for “General Services” and N15billion as “Service-Wide Vote” – known in administrative parlance as “contingency” or “security vote”. The NASS never had anything like service-wide vote in the past as “service-wide vote” is always exclusive to the Executive arm. Insiders said this is a clear case of budget padding as the purpose for the huge appropriations are vague.

Even the retired clerks and perm secs (despite receiving their pensions) are not left out in this public funds buffet as they got N1.2billion padded for them.

Apart from padding the intangibles, the NASS will spend N4billion to build recreation center; about N6billion to furnish committee rooms for the two chambers and; another N6billion to build car parks for senators and members (don’t ask me whether they lack any parking space).

And despite this, the lawmakers padded N30 billion in the FCDA budget for “Completion of NASS Chambers” and N20billion for “completion of NASS Service Commission”! In the same budget, the lawmakers set aside another N10billion (under NASS budget) for the completion of National Assembly Service Commission building! How did this happen? No be juju be dis?

Still hungry to devour public resources, the avaricious parliamentarians budgeted another N3billion for the “Upgrade of NASS Key Infrastructures”. How come? What about the N30billion budgeted for “Completion of NASS Chambers”?

NASS Library Complex, named after President Tinubu’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, got N12billion as take-off grant and another N3billion for purchase of books.

Like other institutions under NASS, the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies got N9billion without clearly stating how or where the resources will apply to. The same institute also got another N4.5billion (is this ‘jara’?) for completion of its headquarters.

Despite the dedicated powerline and powerful generators backing up power supply in the National Assembly, the lawmakers budgeted N4billion to install solar power system. I guess this will give them a reason to pad billions for the purchase of batteries every year.

The committee that superintended this butchery of public resources, the Appropriations Committees of the Senate and the House of Reps, got N200m each for a job well done.

Opinion

Workers’ Day and The Nigerian Workers In Perspective

Published

2 days ago

May 1, 2024

Nigerian Tracker

By AbdurRaheem Sa’ad Dembo

Every 1st of May workers celebrate their day globally .It is always a day of reflection, celebration and emancipation of workers around the world.

In Nigeria,May Day as a holiday was first declared by the People Redemption Party (PRP) Government of Kano State in 1980.Afterwards it became a national holiday on May 1, 1981

Before venturing to restrict myself to Nigerian workers let me take a broad look at how May Day emerged in the world.Workers’ Day, stemmed in part, from an ancient European Spring festival,but its modern manifestations arise from the organised efforts of socialist and communist groups to establish a time for honouring workers and the working class.To be specific, the holiday was first promoted by the International Workers Association in 1904 to commemorate the slaughter of protesting labourers in Haymarket Square in Chicago ,United States of America in 1886 and it was to be a day to push for the eight-hour work day and other demands.

The date May 1st was chosen because,in the USA, the eighth- hour workday first came into effect on that date in 1886.It was predicated on the demands of the Federation of Organized Trades and Labour Unions.There was a general strike and a riot in Chicago in 1886, and eventually, the eight -hour workday was legally recognised.

Many people tend to attend the National May Day celebration in Abuja and other State capitals.The president or State Governors would be there as the case may be to make a speech, and thousand would fill the Eagle Square or state stadium to listen to the President or Governor.Some people attend number of other events that hold across Nigeria on May Day,organized by schools,labour unions,hospitals,and other various institutions.People use the day for relaxation since it is a public holiday.

In Nigeria,some people participate in nationwide marches and rallies on workers’ Day or Labour Day.More often their major concerns are usually to clamour for an increase in the minimum wage,an end to workers being left unpaid for months,the need for government action to address the high unemployment rates of recent years ,and the necessity for government action to address the high unemployment rates of recent years, and the need to move Nigeria off of over dependence on petroleum exports.

On a May Day in Nigeria, politicians and labour leaders will give out speeches on the strength and the challenges of Nigerian economy , and on how to improve it for the general good of the country.

It is significant to say that Nigerian workers both in public and private sectors are facing enormous challenges.The disparity in the salary structure and irregular payments of salary as witnessed before the coming of Buhari’s administration in 2015, where a lot of state Governors could not pay their workers for several months.

The Buhari administration ensured that bailouts were given to states to enable them offset their unpaid salaries to workers.That was a plus for the Daura man administration.

Meanwhile, President Tinubu’s administration has also sustained the legacies of prompt payment of workers salaries in the last one year.It is expected , because even as Lagos State Governor he had no history of owing workers.

In a larger context, welfare of Nigerian workers are not properly taken care of, most especially those in private sectors.There are situations where teachers in private schools are being paid peanuts as salaries,whereas the owners or proprietors charge the parents homongous school fees.This is not a hearsay I was once in that shoe as an English language teacher.

The area where the civil servants in both Federal and States are feeling the heats is the non regular payment of promotion arrears.According to sources some agencies under federal government are being owed promotion arrears since 2018.This is not a healthy practice, though some sources said the federal government has put the payment in batches and it is now being paid bit by bit.In some states the promotions are not even implemented let alone payment of its arrears

As Nigerian workers join others around the world to mark 2024 workers’ Day,it is expected that the ongoing negotiation by the federal government and labour leaders on new minimum wage will yield good results.

It is imperative to say that the Federal Government should fix the economy for the collective good and progress of the country.No minimum wage can ameliorate poverty, if there is consistent economic instability.

The level of inflation ravaging Nigerian economy is worrisome.Any minimum wage that is less than hundred thousand naira today won’t make any appreciable impacts in the lives of average Nigerian workers.

Essentially,Corruption can only be tackled effectively and holistically,if there is a reasonable living wage for the civil servants.You can’t fight corruption in a country where workers welfare and retirement package are relegated to the background.According to the human rights lawyer,Femi Falana ” corruption cannot be meaningfully fought by governments that pay poor wages to workers,owe workers and pensioners arrears.”

To the NLC and TUC leaders, providing sincere leadership is key to the quality ,emancipation and progress of Nigerian workers.Adam Oshiomhole was an example of a good labour leader in the history of Nigeria.He stood for the workers even in the face of oppression.So the current leaders should take a cue from his tireless comradeship for the benefit of Nigerian workers.

Nigeria is a blessed country and a land of prosperity; her workers have no reason for penurious lives.

Happy Workers’ Day

abdurraheemsaaddembo@gmail.com

Opinion

Minimum Wage Increment: Be Proactive My Governor.

Published

3 days ago

April 30, 2024

Nigerian Tracker

Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf

By-Abba Hamisu Sani

1st of May every year is a special day for workers in Nigeria working with the government or with the Private sector.

The main issue ahead of this year’s celebrations is the expectation of the new minimum wage Increment.

President Bola Tinubu is expected to announce the new salary scale as Vice President Senator Kashim Shatima hinted recently that by the 1st of May, the new minimum wage will be ready for implementation.

Here I want to salute the courage exhibited by the Edo State governor Godwin Obaseki who has increased the minimum wage for workers in the state from 40,000 naira to 70,000 naira ahead of the 2024 Workers Day celebrations.

This prompted my attention to urge my state governor Abba Yusuf to follow the suit of Edo State governor in this direction.

Kano workers suffered a lot in the hands of the immediate past administration, ranging from different kinds of deductions which causes uncertainty on the amount to be collected by a worker and even pensioners every month.

Governor Abba if you do the same as Obasaki, the Kano people will be happy with you as it will boost the state economy and currency circulation.

It is very imperative at this time to be proactive and not wait for the Federal government announcement before taking your step in making Kano workers happy.

Infrastructural development is quite needed but at this time social security is the most critical as it has been said “A hungry man is an angry man”.

Workers’ salaries are too low to cater to their basic needs, such as food, rent, transportation, and school fees for their children while they see politicians cruising in jeeps and other expensive cars.

Finally, Governor Yusuf remember that these workers have sacrificed a lot during the 2023 elections to see that you emerged as Kano governor.

Is very important to consider their plight at this moment of critical economic hardship.

I urged all comrades in different forms of struggle including civil society Forum to join me in pushing the Kano State government to implement a new minimum wage in a dignified manner as the Edo State governor did.

Abba Hamisu Sani is a
Media Consultant /CEO Time Base TvAfrica & Africa Press.
Can be reached via timebasetv@gmail.com