Lagos — Hon. Patricia Udogu, member House of Representatives between 2003 and 2007, was the first woman Federal parliamentarian from Imo State. She was also a member of the Inter- Parliamentary Union (IPU) for four years. In this interview with Chuks Okocha she speaks on ways to improve women's role in future elections. She also takes a critical look at the role of Nigerian female politicians in context with other countries and recommends how to improve women's chances in politics ahead of the 2011 general elections in Nigeria

How did women fare in the last elections in Nigeria?

The elections were spectacular in the sense that they were the first elections in the annals of Nigeria, which were organised by an incumbent government. Many things have been said and written about the April elections, including several problems in terms of rigging and fairness.

I am not here to discuss the flaws of the elections or otherwise. I would rather concern myself with the role of women at the elections and also how they fared. And to ensure that adequate analysis is done, a comparative analysis earlier would be taken in terms of global electoral concepts. This is as regards women both in presidential and parliamentary elections in conjunction with the spirit of the United Nations and the Beijing Agenda. This has defined standards of women participation in politics and other national engagement.

For a clearer understanding of how women fared, a time frame from 2003 and 2005 shall be my yardstick. Thereafter, an analysis of the women role in the 2007 elections would be undertaken and issues that militated against their progress or otherwise would be highlighted and solution proffered where necessary.

How would you give a global analysis of how women fared in elections?

A review of records from the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) shows that one in five parliamentarians elected in 2005 is a woman. The year 2005 was significant in the history of women elected into parliaments because it showed a continued progress of women in parliaments across the globe. Over 39 single or lower houses parliament took place in 2005. From this, it was gathered that 1548 women were elected, representing 20 percent of members elected in the year under review.

This was a sharp departure from the records of 2000, which show that only 11 percent of women were elected. Subsequently, the figure rose to 18 percent in 2003 and fell to 16 percent in 2004. An analysis of records of elections from the IPU showed that by 2005, an estimate of 16.3 percent of members in both the upper and lower houses of the parliaments were women. This is a significant progress when compared to statistics of 1995, which showed women in parliament to represent only 11.3 percent.

How far have women gone towards meeting the 30 per cent target in elective office spread?

It was at the Beijing Women Conference of 1995( Beijing Platform of Action) (BPFA) that it was agreed that thirty percent ration should be reserved for women as a quota to be filled in all elective offices, particularly into parliaments. Records from 28 of the 39 parliamentary elections in 2005 showed that 72 percent progress was made in terms of meeting the 30 percent quota.

Norway topped the ranks in 2005. It recorded 37.9 percent in favour of women elected, placing it in third position behind Rwanda and Sweden in global ranking. Denmark and Germany also made significant progress, as more than 30 percent held electiv offices since the 1980s.

From Latin America ( South America ), significant progress has been made as well. Honduras for instance registered an 18 percent increase, reaching a record level of 23 percent. The same progress is recorded in Venezuela from a 7.7 percent to 17.4 percent. These great electoral feats when compared with the general trend of women role and participation in politics. It is worthy of note that both Argentina and Bolivia have implemented electoral quotas to promote women candidacies in the parliaments.

In the African continent, women legislators are now on the increase. For instance, Burundi and Tanzania have entered records of countries with women legislator' crossing over the 30 percent bar. In the Republic of Tanzania, the proportion of women legislators is steadily on the increase. In 2005, it recorded an impressive 30.4 percent. This has remained the highest percentage recorded so far in a majoritarian electoral system. In line with the Beijing Spirit and the Southern African Development Community Targets, it was raised from 20 to 30 percent.

In practical terms, out of 97 seat parliaments, 17 were filled from constituencies and the rest were filled from special seats.

What kind of picture does your case study Nigerian situation show?

In 1999, our records show that there were only 12 women elected into the State Assemblies as against 978 males. Also only three women out of 109 senators were elected into the Senate in the same year under review, while 13 women were equally elected into the House of Representatives as against 347 men.

Taking the bearing for this discursion from 2003, several women participated in elections. In the State Assemblies, in 2003 there was a slightincrease as only 39 women were elected as against 951 men. But only 6.1 percent (21 women) were elected into the both House of Representatives. This was against 339 men that found their way into the House of Representatives and 3.7 percent (4 women) were elected in to the Senate, against 105 males senators.

Even in appointment into offices, records from 1999 showed that 833 persons were appointed with 86 of them women, representing only 11.9 percent.

As for the 2007 elections, the figures as collated from the database of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is still based on the number of candidates as election tribunals are still on. It would be difficult to give a clear detail at the moment.

The records showed that a total 7160 candidates (both men and women) contested in the April elections. Of this number, only 628 women participated. The breakdown is as follows:

Out of the twenty five candidates that participated for the office of the President, only one is a woman Five women contested for the office of the Vice President.

474 candidates contested for the gubernatorial elections in the thirty-six states of the federation.

Of this, only 14 women contested for the office of governor. 21 contested for the office of deputy governor. 799 contested for the senate, with only 59 women 2342 candidates contested for the House of Representatives, with 150 women ' 5647 contested for the State Assemblies with 358 women.

From the records so far, there are nine female senators out of 109 senators and 27 women in the House of Representatives of 360 members. There are five female deputy governors in Imo, Lagos , Ogun, Osun and Plateau States and in the House of Representatives where there is a Woman presiding as Speaker. Also in Ogun State where is a woman presiding as the State Assembly,

There are fifty-four female members of the State Assemblies. This is a mere two percent improvement of the gains of the 2003 general elections.

This was what made the former Minister of Women Affairs, Hajia Inna Maryam Ciroma in her May 2007 Ministerial Press Briefing said that Nigerian women are still the underdogs of Nigerian Politics. She said that after several years of military rule in Nigeria and eight of democratic governance that women participation in politics was still inconsequential, despite their numerical strength.

What are the factors militating against women in elections?

Going by the details of the population of Nigeria released by the National Population Commission (NPC), women are more in number in Nigeria . At least, they consist about 50.5 percent of the total population.

The National Policy on Women in Nigeria , in line with the Beijing Agenda adopted that 30 percent seats for women in both elective and appointed offices be reserved for women.

But despite these, women still perform below average in election. Going by records from some African Countries like Tanzania and Rwanda whose examples have been highlighted, it is expected that Nigeria as the giant in Africa should have been the leading example.

Winnie Byanyima, the UNDP Director for Gender Team/Bureau for Development Policy in an interview recently said that the participation of women in politics is a key process for democracy.

But the records so far are not encouraging. The factors responsible for this woeful performance of women in elections include:

' Money politics -This is one of the banes of women participation in politics. Not that they can not afford the money, but terms of meeting that money from the banks and the God Fathersî is more problematic for a woman than a man.

' Electoral Violence - This is the very cankerworm that is destroying Nigeria's electoral system. Women cannot afford to stand men in issues of electoral violence.

It is on record that most women would prefer to stay out of election and electoral issues that faces that rigours involved in such violence.

' Issues of sexual discrimination and harassments still pervade the electoral system. This is better understood than discussed as most women have fallen victim of such antics from men.

What then is the way forward?

Like in the interview of Byanyima, where she said that women participation would be a key ingredient of democracy, she equally observed, Women should be very active in fighting against corruption and bribery innelections. Women should be at the forefront in calling for electoral reforms to restrict the use of money in elections'. There should be a massive voter education and mobilisation. The role of voter education and mobilisation is to ensure that adequate attention is given to more women participation. As mothers, their voice should be heard at the hallowed chambers of the National Assembly as a basic ways to addressing the moral delinquencies in the society. Their voices are important for the sustenance of democracy in Nigeria.

Many Non- Governmental Organisations like the National Action Committee on Women in Politics (NACWIP) should be involved in the campaign and championing of women participation in politics. NAWIP and other NGOs should be at the forefront in ensuring the implementation of provisions and statues, which Nigeria has signed as regards the implementation of women participation in politics.

It should be legislated, if it has to be, that the 30 percent quota should be compulsory for most of the political parties to implement. INEC should ensure the implementation of this.

However because of the circumstances of women not meeting the resources needed of election, special seats as in Tanzania and Rwanda should be reserved for women. In the case of Nigeria with identifiable six geo political zones, each zone should be allocated a five percent of the elective offices to be filled. It would not be demanding too much for each of the zone to forfeit five of the parliamentary offices from the State Assemblies to the National Assembly to Women. The sacrifice is worthy.

This would be of a proactive step in ensuring women adult suffrage for women. As a precursor to this, legislation should be passed by the National Assembly for the implementation of all the provisions and statues concerning women, which Nigeria is a signatory.