Mrs Kemi Ndieli, Gender and HIV/AIDS Coordinator, UNIFEM, has said that the organisation will increase the level of women representation in governance in Nigeria by 2015.
Ndieli said this in Abuja at a press briefing, organised by UNIFEM to give an update on the progress made by the National Consultative Group (NCG), a group formed in May to increase the number of women in governance.
According to her, UNIFEM will hold sensitisation campaigns to create the awareness that money is not the ``all-in-all’’ in politics and re-introduce civic education in schools.
``Part of the resolve at the last meeting is that there will be a national leadership and capacity building plan for women politicians.
``This is to increase the quantity and quality of female participation and representation in politics by 2015 elections.
``We will also look at re-introducing civic education in schools where children would be taught that honesty and credibility is golden and not this current love of money before love for country.’’
She said although it would be laudable to have increased participation in 2011, UNIFEM wanted to be sure that ``by 2015, there would be credible and honest women, who are not just interested in money but in the welfare of their electorate’’.
Ndieli said further that the media had a huge role in ensuring increased level of women participation in 2011 elections and beyond.
``The NCG identified the need for a media and communication strategy for women’s sustained and increased participation in democratic governance in Nigeria and is developing a roadmap spear-headed by some media houses, including NTA, AIT, FRCN, NAN and Guardian Newspapers.’’
Mrs Maureen Lance-Onyeiwu, Programme Manager, Governance, UNIFEM, said although the organisation realised that funding was a major problem hindering women participation in elections, the ``hype and unnecessary interest in money should be discouraged.
``We realise that funding is the major problem women have and we are working towards that in a coordinated manner but also disabusing people’s minds from the current politics-for-money philosophy.
``Politics should not come to a stage where the highest bidder wins. We must seek to have women who can sell credible and sincere candidacy to the electorate and who will stress that quality leadership should be exchanged for vote and not money.
``UNIFEM instituted a Women Politicians Trust Fund in 2006, which will systematically coordinate and resuscitate credible women to make available resources to operate and run a decent campaign,’’ Lance-Onyeiwu said.
Dr Otive Igbuzor, a women rights activist, noted that ``Every country that takes women development seriously advances faster than others.
``To accelerate the development process in Nigeria, we must ensure that women participate in the electoral process.
``Politics in Nigeria today is the exclusive preserve of the rich. It is not women alone who are faced with the challenge of funding but poor men. This leaves the arena for indecent and unscrupulous people’’.
Also speaking, Mrs Janet Adeyemi, a former member of the House of Representatives, said 70 per cent of election problems would be solved if the media stood for the truth.
``The media is the most important sector in this country. If the media stands for truth, 70 per cent of our election problems, including rigging and thuggery will be solved.
``We don’t have to wait for the number of years it took America to get it right to do same.
``All hands must be on deck in 2011 because corruption has eaten deep into the system and it will take the help of the younger generation to wipe it out,’’ Adeyemi said.
NCG has members drawn from the National Assembly, political parties, CSOs, the civil service, international donor agencies and the media. (NAN)
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