WIMBIZ advocates increased participation, visibility of women

As Nigeria prepares for the 2023 general election, Women in Management, Business and Public Service (WIMBIZ), has announced the take off of its advocacy programme aimed at increasing women’s participation and visibility in the electoral process.

Toward this end, it has inaugurated an Advocacy Committee saddled with the responsibility of planning and executing advocacy programmes and interventions to support the 2022/2023 pre-election advocacy.

The mandate of the committee is centered on the sensitisation of women and positively influencing their attitudes towards the exercise of their civic duties during the upcoming general election.

Advocacy Committee Chairperson, Ms. Ronke Onadeko, said this year’s campaign focuses on informing and reminding women about their voting history, their rights, responsibilities and rewards regarding voting, and encouraging women to perform their civic duties.

With the theme, ‘Women and Civic Duties, Voters’ Attitude and Elections in Nigeria’, it would also feature a report, infomercials and a mini-historical documentary on Nigeria’s suffragettes.

Onadeko noted that WIMBIZ’s advocacy efforts are geared towards increasing women’s awareness of their historical journey in public and private participation, politics and improvements in inclusion, participation and visibility on all related indices.

With the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals five and 10 on Gender Equality and Reducing Inequalities, respectively in view, the WIMBIZ advocacy pillar is focused on engaging both the public, private sectors and individuals through strategic partnerships, collaborations and direct engagement while preparing females to position themselves, contribute to nation-building and perform their civic duties.

The goal for public sector engagement is to have a higher representation of women developed, equipped and positioned to increase their representation at all levels of government and in politics for both appointive and elective roles from 3.8 per cent to 30 per cent by 2030 and to increase the representation of women in the corporate sector occupying senior and executive positions.