The House of Representatives on Tuesday urged the Federal Government to make adequate budgetary provision for the training and grooming of women in politics.
The resolution of the House came against the backdrop of the adoption of a motion moved by the lawmaker representing Port Harcourt II Federal Constituency, Rivers State, Mrs Blessing Amadi.
The House subsequently urged the Ministry of Women Affairs to designate a department “With adequate budgetary provision to help groom, train, and support women in politics and encourage the inclusion of the role of women in political leadership in our secondary school curriculum.”
Speaker Tajudeen Abbas who presided over plenary also mandated the House Committees on Women in Parliament and Women Affairs to liaise with the Ministry of Women Affairs and other relevant agencies to, as a matter of public importance, “Constantly organise trainings and seminars for women interested in running for political offices, especially women in rural areas, with the understanding that politics starts from the grassroots.”
Amadi, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, while addressing plenary, lamented what he called the under-representation of women in politics, noting that the development cuts across the national and sub-national levels.
She said, “Women are holding less than 8 per cent of seats in both National and State Assemblies. We are aware that societal factors such as cultural or religious norms, marriage, indigeneship etc., impede women’s participation and representation in politics,” adding that “The full and equitable participation of women in public life is essential to building and sustaining strong and vibrant democracies.”
The lawmaker added that despite the giant strides recorded by women over the years, “They remain significantly underrepresented in political and leadership positions globally and Nigeria in particular.”
She continued, “In Nigeria, women don’t have equal opportunities and support to serve as political leaders and elected representatives, which is vital to Nigeria’s democracy. To bring about any change in this disparity, it will require pro-active measures to equip women with the leadership skills, resources, and support needed to navigate the political landscape and effectively participate in decision-making processes.”
In March 2024, the National President of the Soroptimist International Nigeria Association, Abiola Agoro, urged the Federal Government to motivate women to participate in politics.
Agoro said this during the recent commemoration of International Women’s Day at Methodist Girls’ High School, Yaba, Lagos State.
Speaking with Saturday PUNCH after the event, the president of the association urged the Federal Government to devise ways to encourage more women to participate in politics in the country.
