PDP Women Unveil Thematic Plan For 35% Women Inclusion Quotas

 

Women In The Peoples Democratic Party Unveil Thematic Resolutions For Implementation Of 35% Affirmative Action Quotas.

........Adopts Reservation of Seats and Twinning as the most viable implementation strategies.

In a 2-days Strategic Consultative Workshop with PDP Zonal, State Woman Leaders and Female stakeholders under the office of the National Woman Leader in collaboration with International Republican Institute (IRI) and the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) which held on November 30-December 01 2020 at the Party's National Secretariat in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja, PDP Women reviewed the level of their participation in party processes and to agreed on the most effective pathway for the implementation of the 35% affirmative action quota approved for PDP Women at the 88th NEC session of the party.

MediaOrchid reports that the National Woman leader of the PDP Hajiya Mariya Waziri during the workshop interacted with  State Woman leaders, Zonal leaders, Female stakeholders and other female members as they pointed out inclusion gaps in the Party's Constitution.

The participants which include the Deputy National Woman leader, Zonal and State leaders, Stakeholders like the Party's Board of Trustee (BOT) members, Female NEC members, members of the Party's Ex-officio, female members of the party in the National. Assembly, former ministers of Women Affairs and also PDP Female Youths together developed recommendations to enhance women's participation and structured inclusion in Party's processes and leadership positions.

According to MediaOrchid, Some of the resolutions made at the 2-days Consultative strategy meeting include :

' The need for development of mechanisms for implementation of the 35% provided in Party's Constitution of 2017 ( as amended) ;

- Adopting Twinning Principle in the Party's Constitution to ensure that at least women are elected as deputies in all party offices to which men are elected as deputies in substantive positions at all levels.

- The reservation of certain specific executive party positions executive party positions at all levels for women.

- Reservation of one the two Deputy National chairmanship position for women. '

' Inclusion of a clause in the party constitution that will invalidate the conduct of any party elections that does not adhere to the provisions of the constitution in the 35% representation of Women. '

' The reactivation of the directorate for Women Affairs in the party to be responsible for effective mobilization of the party women to participate in activities of the party with regard to training, research, and documentation for women party leaders. This office should be remodelled 

to serve as the data hub of the women's directorate and as a liaison with identified 

partners and stakeholders to support the implementation of activities for women 

and the political development of women in the party '

' The setting up of a national and six zonal advocacy committees that will lobby 

identified national party leaders and mobilize women to join and participate in 

party processes. The zonal committees will be responsible for sensitization and 

mobilization of women delegates ahead of the 2022 National Convention to 

ensure the adoption of changes to internal party documents (constitution, 

manifestoes and election guidelines) that will improve women's participation in 

politics and party processes. '

' That the National Women Leader as the Leader and representative of PDP women 

will present the recommendations of the women strategy consultative meeting to 

the National Working Committee (NWC) and other national organs of the party. '

' The need for women to mobilize and support themselves to participate in party 

activities in the lead up to the 2023 elections to enhance their chances of becoming 

party delegates and party candidates to improve the election of women in elective

positions come 2023 general elections. ' 

' The need for the creation of a mentorship scheme within the party, to encourage 

the participation of young women in party and election processes. '

See other recommendations made at the strategic meeting: 

On Thematic Recommendations for the improvement of women inclusion in the PDP constitution, the women decided the following; 

The strategic Consultative Workshop did not come to an end till the women had mapped out clearly long and short term strategies and Gender work plan to aid successful execution of all plans and deliberation.

- MediaOrchid