Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Anambra State has reiterated its commitment to ensuring active participation of women in electoral processes, particularly during the forthcoming general election.
The Deputy Director in charge of Civil Society Organisations Division, INEC headquarters, Ndidi Okafor, spoke in Awka during a town hall meeting with women groups and gender-focused civil society organisations.
She said the commission was desirous of seeing more women move beyond singing and dancing for politicians to taking active part in political activities.
Okafor lamented increasing level of violence perpetrated by youths before, during and after elections, attributing it partly to nonchalant attitude of parents, particularly mothers.
She said: “Women can do more than dancing, singing. How can you be comfortable with singing for politicians when there are no drugs in hospitals and your children are sitting on bare floor to learn?
“What’s wrong with you emerging as the national chairperson of a major political party other than a woman leader? Women are well educated and intellectually healthy to also contribute to governance.
“This is why the commission has a written document attesting to its commitment to ensuring increased participation of women in the electoral process, including gender policy, which speaks a lot to its commitment.
“The commission has established a gender and inclusivity department to cater for electoral needs of women and marginalised groups, which also attests to the same commitment.
“Overtime, women have been sidelined, occasioned by religious, cultural, social and economic reasons. All these have connived to put women down. But now, INEC is saying women can contribute to nation building.”
“The women on their part have decided not to be behind, but beside; it’s a gradual process because of the patriarchal nature of the society that women should not be heard.
“We’re glad about the cooperation of some men, especially those we call he-for-she, men, who believe in the capacity of women to come to the table and not the menu.”
Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Welfare Mrs. Ify Obinabo urged women to take advantage of their positions in homes to convince their husbands and children on the need to play positive roles in the political processes.
“Women should see themselves as agents of change. We’re expecting them to participate fully during the elections. We’ve started that already by encouraging them to register and collect their permanent voter cards (PVCs),” she said.
The state Resident Electoral Commissioner, Dr. Elizabeth Agwu, said the meeting was targeted at encouraging women to speak to their children, particularly those who willingly submitted themselves in the hands of unscrupulous politicians to foment violence.
Agwu, represented by the Head, General Administration and Procurement, Sunday Nwegbe, described women as direct beneficiaries of elections outcome, positively or negatively, advising them to give the exercise the seriousness it deserved.
“We are here to sensitise women to appreciate they bear much of the brunt. This is why they should appeal to their children to shun violence and be part of those who will contribute to peaceful elections,” she said.