UN Women Calls for Urgent Reforms for Female Representation

On Tuesday, UN Women raised alarms regarding Nigeria's low female political representation as the country approaches the 2027 general elections. Beatrice Eyong, during a webinar, emphasized the need for urgent reforms to improve women's participation in governance and leadership.

Currently, women hold only 4.2% of the national assembly, with only four out of 109 Senate seats and 16 out of 360 House of Representatives seats occupied by women. Eyong noted that Nigeria ranks 143rd out of 144 countries in women's political participation according to the World Economic Forum's Global Gender Gap Report.

She identified barriers such as high nomination fees, discriminatory party structures, and cultural biases that hinder women's political advancement. Eyong proposed a bill for reserved seats in the national assembly as a significant opportunity to transform women's political inclusion.

Iren Awunah Ikyegh, President of the League of Women Voters Nigeria, echoed these sentiments, stressing that women's representation is crucial for justice and sustainable development in Nigeria.