Women and Political Participation in the 2015 General Elections in Nigeria: Fault Lines and Mainstreaming Exclusion
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Date
2018
Authors
Quadri, M.O
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Clarion University of Pennslyvania
Abstract
The 2015 General Elections in Nigeria showed a decline in the performance of women and this is very troubling given the ground swell and campaign for popular participation by women. Explanation for the factors which constitute impediments to women’s efforts at winning elective offices and enduring genuine political representation are legion. But are they adequate to explain what happened to the performance of women politicians at the 2015 General Elections? Why did women representation in elective position dwindle in the 2015 General Elections? It is the contentions of this paper that explanation for their dismal performance should be sought to serve as lessons for women’s future endeavour at political representation. I offer in this paper a multi-layered structural, institutional and social explanation, drawing on concrete example of exclusionary politics based on gender relations. The paper contends that the more women agitate for inclusion through their various platforms, the less democratic the spaces for inclusion open to women. What are the fault lines and countervailing factors in women political exclusion in the 2015 General Elections? Deriving from the analysis of evidences gathered from reports on the 2015 general elections, this paper provides answer to this question. It is recognised and as argued in the paper that women’s participation can only be effective and meaningful when underlying gender power relations are transformed and women are empowered economically, politically, and socially to achieve sustainable development. It however, recommends that as a temporary measure, legislative quota should be adopted to assist women in their efforts to become relevant politically.
Description
Staff publications
Keywords
Fault lines , Gender relations , General elections , Sustainable development , Research Subject Categories::SOCIAL SCIENCES::Social sciences::Political science
Citation
Quadri, M.O (2018). Women and Political Participation in the 2015 General Elections in Nigeria: Fault Lines and Mainstreaming Exclusion.