The United Nations Women (UN Women) has called for an increase in women’s political participation in Nigeria.

Beatrice Eyong, UN Women representative to Nigeria and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), spoke on Tuesday at the national conference on women’s political participation in Nigeria.

The conference was organised in collaboration with the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD) to assess women’s participation in the 2023 general election.

In any country, the political empowerment of women is generally possible with two routes — the first is to reserve seats for women in legislature by means of legislation and the second is to have provision for quotas for women candidates within political parties while nominating candidates. There are examples for both that have been adopted in various countries, in turn helping women’s political empowerment.

Suyen Barahona, as president of the Nicaraguan Unión Democrática Renovadora (UNAMOS), was kidnapped and sent to the country’s infamously grim El Chipote prison for 606 days. She was jailed solely for her political involvement and human rights activism, a victim of the crackdown carried out by President Daniel Ortega’s government prior to national elections. […]

Gender quotas have successfully brought women to positions of political power. But the question remains: how and why do they influence women’s political participation, especially in societies where entrenched patriarchal norms serve as barriers, both within political parties and households?

On Monday, President Andrzej Duda swore in the new government of Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, who will have two weeks to secure a vote of confidence. Most of the ministers have been swapped, although some previously served as deputy ministers. Others headed various government agencies. The majority of the cabinet is made up of women, which has been praised by President Duda.