Democratic Action Group (DAG), a Kano-based NGO, has called on women to actively participate in partisan politics during the forthcoming general elections in the country.

The Executive Director of DAG, Dr Mohammed Mustapha, made the call in Kano on Wednesday at a two-day Workshop for Women in Political Parties on Gender, Anti-corruption and Accountability.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that The Nigerian Women’s Trust Fund (NWTF), another NGO, organised the workshop while MacArthur Foundation founded it.

Mustapha said active participation of women in politics would go a long way in checking the maginalisation of women in decision-making process, thereby limiting their empowerment opportunities.

“For democracy to thrive and take proper shape, the women folk should be encouraged to participate, because marginalising them will make mockery of the entire system, to some extent, “he said.

According to him, it has been the prevailing trend all over the world that the women folk almost constitute the chunk of voters who often determine the fate of every candidate.

He said depriving them the chance to prove their worth would be seen as an obstacle to the entrenchment of participatory democracy.

“The resources which are supposed to be jointly monitored and evenly allocated are being controlled by one gender, thus giving men the upper hands in earnings.

“This makes it possible for men to have the financial buoyancy to finance a campaign fund; political parties buy expensive nomination forms and engage in other activities that might make the scales in their favour.

“This, most often than not, tends to be corrupt practices,” he said.

According to him, no politician across the country can ever lay claim to the success he or she achieved without having the full support of the women folk.

“When you have more women in elective positions, the tendency of having more corrupt people will be minimal.“

NAN reports that most of the women politicians who spoke at the occasion, called on women to be united for the development of democracy in the state and the country at large.

They said it was high time for women to come together, support and vote for women candidates in the forthcoming general elections.

In her remarks, the Executive Director of Nigerian Women’s Trust Fund (NWTF), Mrs Mufuliat Fijabi, stressed the need for women to come out and partake in politics.

This, she said, became necessary in view of the significant roles they played in the upbringing of children and moulding their character.

Various stakeholders, including women politicians seeking elective positions attended the workshop. (NAN)

– Oct. 18, 2018 @ 18:05 GMT |