Institute trains women, youth on political engagement

Ahead of the 2019 general elections, the International Republican Institute (IRI) has called for the involvement of youth and women in politics so as to defend democracy and rule of law in the country.

The IRI Resident Program Director, Mr Sentell Barnes, made the call in Abuja at the closing ceremony and maiden graduation of 21 participants of the institute’s Youth and Political Leadership Academy.

“Nigeria’s general elections of 2011 and 2015 saw a sharp downturn in the number of women elected to parliament at state and federal levels. In 2015, only 14 women were elected to Nigeria’s 360-member House of Representatives, and only seven of 109 elected senators are women. Currently, women and youth represent only 6.1 percent and 7.5 per cent, respectively, at the National Assembly.

“Despite constituting about half of the nation’s population, women and youth remain voiceless and subsequently underrepresented in leadership and decision making positions in public offices,” he said.

He said in April and May, 2016, the IRI conducted a national poll on public opinion which revealed that politicians do not listen to women and young people.

He said this showed that women and youth remained highly marginalized in politics as they were by politicians as “appendages rather than stakeholders in the democratic processes.”