Women and political participation in Namibia and Nigeria: a comparative analysis of women in elective positions

Abstract

While women in Namibia have made successful inroads into the country’s parliament despite gender barriers in the country, Nigerian women are yet to make any noticeable progress in their efforts to achieve political power. Women’s agitation for increase political participation over time has received backing from international instruments. The 1979 UN Convention for the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), the Beijing Platform for Action (BPfA), the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Protocol on Gender and Development are some of these international instruments. They emphasize that member nations, who signed and ratified these documents, put in place necessary mechanisms needed to eliminate gender discriminations and promote women’s cause generally. Nigeria just like Namibia has signed these documents and has even incorporated some provisions in its National Gender Policy. In comparison with Namibia, women in Nigeria still have a long way to go in politics. The question is what accounts for the slow progress of Nigerian women in gaining political power? This paper examines the trend in women’s political participation in Namibia and Nigeria by exploring and discussing those factors that engender increase in participation in Namibia and those that constrain the female politicians in Nigeria.