The Southern Women’s Forum (SWF), a regional and non-partisan platform promoting and advancing the cause of political participation of women in Southern Nigeria, has lamented the decline in women’s political representation, just as it condemned the electoral violence and voter suppression that characterized the 2023 general elections across the country.
In a statement yesterday by the body’s secretary, Maryam Rahim, it said the spate of electoral violence if not checked, will discourage more women from coming out to participate in the electoral process, most especially vying for political offices.
“While we congratulate all women who won their legislative seats, we commend Nigerian women for their resilience in seeking more relevance and inclusion in the political space dominated overwhelmingly by men. The Forum decries the continued low number of women in the National Assembly. We admonish all elected female legislators to represent their constituents well and Nigerian women at large.
“It is pertinent that we have more women at all governmental levels via appointive, executive and legislative roles. As we support women’s ambition in seeking office irrespective of religion, tribe and political affiliation, we will continue to demand and hold leaders accountable in ensuring that Southern women’s representation is made a priority,” Rahim stated.
