Women are handicapped when it comes to politics and part of the handicap is religion and culture. I don’t think any culture in Nigeria encourages wom… - Chinyere Stella Okunna

I think some smaller African countries are small in quotes because we keep claiming we are the giant of Africa yet marginalization is very high here. Look at Rwanda which suffered so much recently. They have bounced back and women are doing very well there. This is because they are supporting women through inclusive policies and laws but when we make our laws like affirmative action nobody is implementing them. In these African countries like Rwanda, I mentioned, Kenya, and others, they make these laws and implement them. Rwanda has 40-something percent women inclusion in governance and yet we claim we are the giant of Africa.

As long as I can remember, women’s participation in politics and visibility in leadership positions have been major problems in many countries and not just in Nigeria. The entire world knows that women have not done well in politics in Nigeria. I’m sure you know there is supposed to be a gender policy in Nigeria which came to effect in 2006; affirmative action of 35%. The only time any leader approached that policy was the time of Jonathan’s regime and since then nobody is even trying and each time I think about women in politics and leadership, I like to give example from my own State, Anambra State. Anambra women are well educated, they are empowered. They are confident and knowledgeable about local and international affairs. Yet the number of women in politics in Anambra is laughable, so to say

A woman I believe will do better in laws that will benefit women because she understands what marginalization should be. Men should sit up to make more appointments for women and women should strive harder to go into elective positions.