Women leaders have renewed calls for affirmative action and structural reforms to improve female representation in Nigeria’s political system.
The advocacy was made during a visit by the Women Collective Hub, led by Ambassador Nkoyo Toyo, to Senator Seriake Dickson.
Speaking during the meeting, Toyo said, “For over 30 years Nigerian women have fought for inclusion; this struggle is not new.”
She added that despite years of advocacy, outcomes have not met expectations.
“The ideology may exist in party documents, but the political practice is often far behind,” she said.
Toyo called for affirmative action and reserved seats to address gender imbalance.
She also raised concerns over Nigeria’s low female representation in governance.
Responding, Dickson said, “Women’s inclusion is not just a women’s issue, it is a human issue.”
He described the country’s level of representation as “shameful” and expressed support for legislative reforms.
“There is nothing that will help improve the status of women that comes my way that I will not support,” he said.
Also speaking, the NDC National Women Leader, Dudu Manuga, said the party is working to remove barriers and promote women’s participation in politics.