Hope for Family Development Initiatives, HFDI in collaboration with the Federal Republic of Germany Foreign Office, has commenced activities at the grasroots aimed at increasing women participation in politics and governance through elected representatives.
The project tagged” Advancing Women’s Political Participation through Female Elected Candidates in South West Nigeria”, is to be implemented in three southwestern states of Osun, Ekiti and Oyo.
According to Adeola Falana, a programme manager with HFDI, the project is to increase the participation of women in political processes thereby promoting gender equality while tackling cultural and societal barriers, limited access to education and training, gender-based violence and intimidation amongst others vices that are blocking the women fold.
Falana, who was speaking with media practitioners at a workshop in Osogbo, berated the low representation of women in Osun governance.
“The project will be implementing capacity building trainings for women aspirants, town halls meeting with community stakeholders, consultative meeting with stakeholders and sensitization workshops for young girls on the importance of women’s involvement in politics.
“The program is set to use Gender-Sensitive Legislation, Financial Support Mechanisms and Capacity Building Programs as strategies for its advancement.”
Osun currently does not have a single female among 38 members of both State and National Assemblies, while only five were appointed by Governor Ademola Adeleke into his cabinet of over 50 persons.
