The European Union (EU) has called for more women participation in politics as Nigeria approaches the 2019 general elections.
EU’s head of delegation in Nigeria, Ambassador Ketil Karlsen made this call at a roundtable on improving women’s political participation and inclusion in Abuja.
The event was organized by the House of Representatives Committee on Women in Parliament and the Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre (PLAC) with support from EU.
Karlsen said there is a lot that could be done at the level of political parties.
“For instance, we all know that in order to gain positions in politics, it is often required to have significant funding available and this impedes, to a certain extent, women from participating in politics. “So, a lot can be done structurally to secure the necessary positions for women in all different aspects of society, governance and in the political parties.
“So, my hope is that looking towards the next elections in 2019, decisive moves will be taken. It’s an opportunity for political parties and political leaders to show resolve on this issue and to open up for having more participation of women, of youths and other groups,” Karlsen said.
