Punchlines, Quotes From The Conference "From The Streets To Parliament" ; Strengthening Women's Political Power in Nigeria.
Dinidari Foundation, in collaboration with AIT and with support from Heinrich Boll Stiftung, on Tuesday July 20 2021, hosted a conference tagged “From Streets to Parliament: Strengthening Women's Political Power in Nigeria”
The Conversation revolved around the importance of women participation in politics and government.
It also pointed out ways of amplifying work of women and female politicians especially young women who are currently interested in running for various offices.
Ms. Iyom Anenih the former Minister of Women Affairs and member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leading the conversation pointed out the need for women to be rebellious when the need arises in politics.
" I always tell young women, you've got to be a rebel, you cannot succeed if you're not a rebel, you have to rebel against the system. Fight them and you'll make it,"
She further stressed the need for Nigeria women to rise up to take up leadership positions across the country highlighting the level of discrimination and issues affecting women within political parties not minding all laid down policies as put together by different political parties to check such issues.
Lamenting the low level of participation of women in politics she pointed out that violence and lack of sponsorship is a challenge.
Other panelists include;
Stella Okotete the National Woman Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC)
Hauwa Shekarau, the first female chairperson of the Nigerian Bar Association (Abuja), Ayisha Osori, the Executive Director, Open Society Initiative West Africa, and a host of other women notable for their support for women and thrive in their respective fields.
Okotete while speaking stressed that as a woman Rep for her party, she had with the help of active females in her party made plans to massively recruit young women into politics and have them occupy the political space.
Oluchi Nwosu a communication Strategist and Director of Diela Orchid Media while speaking on the media and efforts so far in pushing narratives for women lamented that though there are efforts, however the media is not doing enough for women adding that there is room for more to be done.
Highlighting some of the challenges young women encounter in politics, she said some of them are inherited noting that 'patriarchal barriers' , which involves narratives portraying women as weak and incapable of making smart decisions, Stringent Unfair scrutiny of personal lives of women in politics, and also ' Political Illiteracy and Lack of Vision '.
She further called on female stakeholders to invest in the media.
A female activist and young woman Rinu Oduala who played a key role in the #EndSARS Protest while speaking said,
"We don't need to wait for permission, women need to bring their own mats and create a seat for themselves."
See Quotes From Panelists :
" You have got to be a rebel, you cannot succeed if you're not rebel."
- Iyom Anenih
"Democracy is all encompassing, it doesn't state that it's for men by it's definition"
- Hassana Maina.
" We need more women that are empathetic and people-centric"
- Hon. Stella Okotete
" We must put an end to the weaponization of 'political Illiteracy'. The systematic seclusion of younger women from the political arena and sphere of decision making must stop."
- Oluchi B. Nwosu
"Nigeria must move away from away from treating women equality and participation in politics and governance as a favour"
- Omolara Oriye
" Asides focusing on women equality, we need to build a Society that carries everyone along."
- Doreen Uloma Nwoke
" A society cannot properly function when their lives are daily threatened by insecurity."
- Secure Our Lives team.
" We need to encourage women to join the military because we need to have women in those rooms where security is being discussed."
-Rtd Gen Bimbo Amusu.
" You cannot keep talking to women about capacity, when men push forward with or without capacity. "
- Barr Hauwa Shekarau
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