2023: only 10% of candidates in Nigeria are women

The United Nations Office for Women in Nigeria revealed that only 1,553 out of the total 15,307 candidates who would contest the 2023 general elections are women.

This figure, according to the global agency, is only 10.1% of the total figure.

The statistics were presented on Saturday by UN Women's country program manager, Desmond Osemhenjie, during a dialogue with media officials in Lagos organized by the agency in partnership with Women Radio.

According to Mr. Osemhenjie, compared to the 2,968 women candidates who participated in the 2019 elections, the situation is getting worse.

Additional ventilation

According to the statistics presented by the official, only a female candidate is running for the post of president while there is not a single candidate for vice-president among the 18 political parties participating in the polls.< /p>

For the gubernatorial elections, the report noted that 25 out of 419 candidates are women while 92 out of 1,101 candidates in the senatorial elections are women, or only 8%.

“For the House of Representatives, 286 out of 3,107 are women, while for the state Houses of Assembly, only 1,046 out of 10,225 candidates are all women, which is 10% of the number total,” the official said.

Lagos in the lead

“Lagos State alone has the highest number of female candidates in the 2023 general election. in the 2023 elections,” Mr. Osemhenjie said.

The UN Representative in Nigeria, Beatrice Eyong, has urged the media to support women in their aspirations for leadership positions in the country.

READ ALSO: COP27: UN wants women and girls to be at the center of climate decisions

She said reality has shown that women are almost adequately portrayed by the media, saying there can be no sustainable development and peace without women at the table.

She said, “Statistics have shown that countries where women are relegated have had to pay the price with poor development indices, including cases of malnutrition, among other challenges.

“If women do not sit at the table, we will never have sustainable development and lasting peace. Therefore, we must be deliberate about our actions and efforts to empower women.”< /p>

About Dialogs

The forum was the second iteration of a day-long consultative dialogue with media executives and editors on female candidates of 2023, held in Lagos on Saturday.

The event, organized by UN Women Nigeria and Women Radio, was also supported by the Government of Canada.

Women Radio Executive Director Toun Sonaiya thanked participants for their deliberate support of women in their newsrooms and called for more coverage of women, not just in politics, but in all other areas of national life. Support the integrity and credibility journalism of PREMIUM TIMES Good journalism costs a lot of money. Yet only good journalism can guarantee the possibility of a good society, an accountable democracy and a transparent government. For free and continued access to the best investigative journalism in the country, we ask that you consider providing modest support to this noble endeavour. By contributing to PREMIUM TIMES, you help sustain relevant journalism and keep it free and accessible to everyone.

Donate