Uyo – Akwa Ibom women have appealed to political parties in Nigeria to work towards eliminating cultism in political practices, to encourage more women participation in politics.
The women also raised concerns over intimidation by the men folk against women who have shown interest in politics through stereotypes, marginalization and unfavorable cultural beliefs.
Various women speakers made these points and more at the Women in Politics Interactive Forum and Capacity Development, organized by Women United for Economic Empowerment (WUEE) in collaboration with ActionAid.
The event, which held in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom capital last week, was meant to strengthen citizens’ engagement in electoral process (SCEEP) in Nigeria, just as the women also identified sexual harassment as one of the key factors working against their political progress.
In an interactive forum coordinated by the Consultant to ActionAid Nigeria, Mrs Ngosichi Okorie, the women also suggested the need for political meetings to be held in daylight to encourage their full participation, especially for married women and mothers.
Identifying lack of organization among themselves, stereotypes, low self-esteem, stigmatization against single women and the disabled, insecurity, lack of support from the family, godfatherism, extramarital affairs and blackmail as other factors working against their wheel of progress, the women unanimously strategized on how to overcome such challenges and appealed for support from the men folk.
The women, among other things, agreed on the need to form political network groups, strengthen their engagement in electoral processes, develop strong media relations and seek ways to be economically empowered.
Speaking, Mrs Okorie, said the forum was aimed at improving the political lives of women and create space where they could chat a way forward and be fully involved in electoral processes.
She suggested the need for women to be better educated and be convinced of the motive behind their aspiration to be able to step out boldly, determined to make sacrifices for the general good of the people they aspire to represent.
Okorie who identified lack of adequate information on electoral processes, poor affirmative action, cultural hindrances, lack of political will, poverty and stereotype as fundamental problems confronting women in politics, suggested the need for better information, education and determination on the part of women.
In her remarks earlier, the Executive Director, Women United for Economic Empowerment (WUEE), Mrs Iniobong Frank, said the essence of the forum was to promote the rights of women’s/children and other vulnerable groups.
“We engage with the marginalized groups to strengthen their knowledge of electoral processes and why especially women should be given opportunity to participate in good governance at all levels,” she said.
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