From Sola Ojo, Kaduna
Professor of Criminology and Gender Studies at Kaduna State University and Executive Director of Centre for Study and Resolution of Domestic Violence, Prof Hauwa’u Evelyn Yusuf, has told Kaduna women to move and reach out to attain their desired political offices in the forthcoming elections.
To her, the time has ripe for women to leave their seeming expectation positions to advance their interests because power is not given on a platter of gold except in exceptional cases.
The first female professor at Kaduna State University gave the charge at the sideline of a day town hall meeting to strengthen collaboration in promoting women’s political participation in Kaduna State organised by Kimpact Development Initiative (KDI) and supported by UNWomen.
To her, “this meeting is very important for women in Kaduna state to understand that we can annex our ecosystem (diversity in ethnic and religious variations) to improve on women’s participation in politics.
“Women should stop waiting for privileges. They should move and reach out to attain political positions. They should become braver to contest and win elections.
“For women to be able to attend political meetings even at odd hours, we need to build trust in our homes. A woman who is going out to contest an election should take responsibility for being loyal and faithful.
“You should carry your husband along in everything you have to do. If you are not married, you should have the trust of your family.
“Though we have a very low turnout of women vying for elective positions across the country and I am not happy about that. However, having learned our lessons this time, I hope we will come out stronger and more in number next time”, she hoped.
In her keynote address titled; Increasing Women’s Political Participation ahead of the 2023 elections, Head, Gender Unit, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Kaduna, Hajiya Rabi Tukur urged women to support one another as they come out to exercise their civic responsibility.
“Women are usually sidelined when it comes to elective positions. The Kaduna state government is doing well considering the number of women in its appointive positions.
“We are advocating that women and rights advocates support women to occupy elective positions, as well as they are given appointive positions both at the local, state and national levels”, she said.
Earlier, Programme Officer on the Advance Women Political Participation in Nigeria, Kimpact Development Initiative (KDI), Mercy Ambiam noted the project was aimed at building support for female candidates ahead of the 2023 elections.
According to her, “this town hall meeting on promoting women’s political leadership in Nigeria is aimed at gathering the support of the key stakeholders including traditional leaders, women in politics, legislators and female candidates in Kaduna State.
“We are implementing the project in Kaduna because Kaduna is one of the few states that have involved a good number of women in their cabinet.
“So we are here to encourage the stakeholders to ensure female candidates get massive votes in the coming elections”.