The Africa Faith and Justice Network (AFJN), in collaboration with faith-based and civil society organisations, has called for structural reforms to boost women's political participation before the 2027 general elections. The appeal was made at a news conference in Abuja, attended by groups including Dominicans for Justice and Peace at the United Nations, AFJN Nigeria, and Catholic religious sisters. Mother Leonie-Martha Okaraga, former Superior General of the Handmaids of the Holy Child Jesus, highlighted that women make up about half the population but hold only four per cent of governance positions in Nigeria. She attributed the gap to structural, cultural, social, and economic barriers, including reliance on political "godfathers" and exposure to violence, harassment, and intimidation during elections.
Okaraga stressed that inclusive leadership leads to more responsive and humane policies, citing Rwanda, Cuba, Mexico, and the United Arab Emirates as nations where constitutional support for women's participation improved governance. Nigeria ranks 178th out of 182 countries in women's political participation, she said. She urged political leaders to enact policies that address financial hurdles for female candidates and strengthen legal protections against electoral violence. "When women are an integral part of the decision-making in political processes, policies are more humane and more embracing of the common good," she said.
Rev. Aniedi Okure, Permanent Delegate of the Dominicans to the United Nations Human Rights Council, affirmed the coalition's non-partisan stance, saying its focus is on national welfare regardless of political or religious affiliation. Sister Eucharia Madueke, AFJN Washington Coordinator for Women Empowerment, supported creating "special seats" for women and urged the National Assembly to pass relevant legislation.
Mother Okaraga points to Nigeria's 4% women representation while citing countries with constitutional support for female participation, yet offers no critique of past faith-led advocacy failures on this front. The same religious institutions now calling for reform have historically upheld the cultural norms that marginalise women in public life. Their current push lacks accountability for how faith-based structures contribute to the problem. This silence undermines the moral weight of their appeal.
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