Orelope-Adefulire urges compliance with 30% affirmative action for women’s inclusion in governance

Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Princess Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, has sought legislation for adequate representation of women in politics.

She said in the absence of a clear-cut law on women’s inclusion in governance, their participation in political activities would remain minimal in the country.

The Lagos State ex-deputy governor made the appeal at the yearly lecture of the Women Studies and Development Centre (WSDC) of Adekunle Ajasin University (AAU), Akungba Akoko with the topic, “Towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Nigeria: Bringing women into the equation.”

She recalled that, “on political participation, the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action set a global threshold of 30 per cent representation of women in any political or decision-making sphere.”

Orelope-Adefulire continued: “However, the global average of women’s representation in parliament is only 22 per cent. Here in Nigeria, women make up a mere 3.8 per cent representation in parliament at both national and sub-national levels – making it the lowest in Africa.

“For example, in 2003, only 3.2 per cent of women aspired for political offices, but increased to 7.5 per cent in 2011 when the country exceeded the 30 per cent threshold for women’s participation in politics, as well as 31 per cent female appointees in the Federal Executive Council (FEC).”

The presidential aide observed that the contributions of women to the socio-economic and political development of any modern society remain indispensable.

“In theory and practice, women’s full and effective participation in politics and decision-making has been widely recognised as fundamental to achieving sustainable development,” she stated.