One of the issues raised time and time again by AWDF’s grantee partners during a recent monitoring visit to Nigeria was the need to prepare for the 2015 general elections. In the context of insecurity and domestic terrorism, women’s rights organisations working in the areas of governance, political participation and leadership stressed the importance of encouraging women to enter the formal party political spaces, and to participate fully in political leadership positions. AWDF’s partners are adamant that women’s political participation is necessary not just on the basis of equity, but also a requirement for a change in ‘the old boys system of politicking’.

Women Environmental Programme (WEP) is one of AWDF’s grantee partners working to increase women’s participation in politics. An update in WEP’s recent newsletter provided this update below:

To be part of decision making on critical issues that affect them, women must come out to participate in political processes such as registering and voting in elections and vying for political positions. Participation of women in politics is the way through which the voices of women can be enhanced and their inputs captured for development purposes.

Due to religious, cultural and other factors, the women in Zamfara State, North Western Nigeria do not participate fully in electoral processes. In 2011 general elections out of a total of 2088 candidates that contested within the North West region only 49 were women representing 2.3% and out of this number, only 3 women contested from Zamfara State.

Unimpressed with the low level of participation of women in political processes in Zamfara State, Women Environmental Programme (WEP) initiated an action on Capacity Building for Women in Electoral Process and Political Participation in the Build Up to 2015 Elections in Zamfara State, North West Nigeria.

This action supported by African Women Development Fund (AWDF) has the overall objective of increasing the level of women participation in politics and democratic governance in Zamfara State through awareness creation.

WEP has started raising awareness in the three (3) senatorial districts of the State on the need for women to participate in political processes. WEP targets men, women and the traditional leaders to talk them into allowing women come out to participate in electoral processes. WEP has also launched media campaigns on radio in the state to call for women participation in politics in Hausa language for easy communication. With this WEP anticipates an improvement in the turnout of women come 2015 general elections in Zamfara State.