Inclusivity & Credible Elections: Ensuring Participation of Vulnerable/Marginalised

Groups

By Hajia Bilkisu Yusuf, mni

Paper Presented at the Workshop Organised by West Africa Network for Peacebuilding (WANEP)

Chelsea Hotel Abuja March 12-13 2014

Introduction

• The universally accepted factors that make for Inclusivity and Credibility of elections:

• Universal suffrage• Secret ballot• Level playing field• Independent and Unbiased Umpire• Democratic Political Parties/Platform for

mobilisation and contest

Vulnerable Groups

• There are many vulnerable groups in the country

• Vulnerability is measured in terms of the level of denial of rights, marginalisation, invisibility, voicelessness, illiteracy, poverty, lack of access to resources and decision making etc,

• The main categories of vulnerable population that will feature in this presentation are, Women, Youth and the Disabled

Inclusivity In Electoral Processes

• Electoral processes as a critical foundation for democracy have to be inclusive i. e.

• Ensure the marginalised have a voice on issues where they are directly or indirectly affected, and that they will benefit from any changes

• Such changes must focus on correcting exclusion of vulnerable groups by creating the enabling environment for Inclusivity

• Removal of barriers to effective participation and• Affirmative action

Women and the Electoral Process

• Women constitute half of the population of the country, and make up 64% of voters but have about 6% of representation in national government.

• Women’s numerical strength has not translated into improved representation and under representation of women in both appointive and elective office negates the principles of democracy.

• ECOSOC and the Beijing Platform for Action recommend 30% affirmative action to correct marginalisation of women in politics and public life

• The National Gender Policy recommends 35% affirmative Action 1

A History Marginalisation • The right to vote and be voted for was granted to women in

Southern Nigeria as far back as 1958 and men in 1922• Women in the Northern Nigeria were granted the right to vote

only in 1979• Women currently occupy only 10% of ministerial positions and

7% of legislative positions at the national level,• This is the lowest in West Africa. • The exception is Enugu State in the South-East which has the

highest number of women in its legislature – 40%, • In 13 of the 36 states, women are visibly missing from their

legislature. • Eleven of these states are found in the Northern states

Under Representation of Women

• The President, Vice President, Senate President, Speaker House of Representatives and all 36 Governors are all men.

• There are 3 women Deputy Governors to 33 men• In the House of Representatives, there are 26 women to

360 men• In the Senate, 7 women to 107men• In the Houses of Assembly 62 women to 990 men• Women’s representation in elective governance structure at

the national level is currently 7.1% (2011 elections)• A slight decrease from 7.5% recorded in 2007 elections . 2

Identifying the barriers

• The National Coalition for Affirmative Action NCAA has been in the fore front in identifying the causes of women’s poor showing in elections.

• They include: monetisation of politics, politics of mudslinging and violence, undemocratic political parties, marginalisation of women due to patriarchy, socio-cultural practices, and electoral malpractice etc, 3

The Indigeneity Barrier

• Female aspirants are told that by marrying outside their Local Governments of birth they have lost their indigeneity.

• Women who are married to men who are non-indigenes of the LGAs where they live and work suffer systematic discrimination in their husband’s constituency.

• They are told that they do not really belong because Indigeneity is based on the consanguinity (blood relation) principle. NCAA 2010 ibid

Slow Progress to Gender Parity

• From 2007election to 2011 Progress from 3% to 6.5% in 2007

is totally unacceptable – just too low • Structural barriers remains eg violence, money bags,

patriarchy, manipulation, zoning etc • Opposition is key – strong – external and internal dynamics

of political parties and the democratic process suffers• 2011 primaries is one election where money has played a

terribly visible role • Primaries were guided and guarded • Political parties lack internal democracy Women Trust Fund

People with Disabilities

• There are over 19 million Persons With Disabilities PWD in the country.

• Their national coalition is the Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities (JONAPWD)

• Members include the leaders of the six clusters of disability communities - the visually impaired, the hearing impaired, and people with mental and physical disabilities, spinal cord injuries and leprosy.

• Since independence in 1960, people with disabilities have found it very difficult to be mainstreamed in the political and electoral processes in Nigeria. 4

Barriers to Electoral Processes

• Elections, in particular, are often characterised by violence, chaos and intimidation

• Fear of stigmatisation and marginalisation kept many of PWD away from the polling booths to be counted and represent their views.

• Electoral materials are not accessible to all PWD in appropriate formats, such as Braille, audio cassettes and/or compact discs (CDs) for the blind

• Polling booths are not accessible. • Civic education is not disability friendly • Electoral registration particulars have no information on

disability 5

Breaking Grounds for the Disabled

• Between 1960 and today, some progress has been recorded

• Electoral Act in 2002 recognised the place of persons with disabilities in the election process.

• Inroads have been made by persons with disabilities, some of whom have contested elections under different political platforms

• A Governor with impaired hearing has been elected to office in the 2011 election

Youth In Nigeria

• The term youth defines that segment of the population comprising young people who fall between ages 18 and 35

• Nigeria has a high youth population• The youth make up 44% of the population. This

segment of Nigeria’s population is growing rapidly; • The youth are the future leaders and must be

empowered to become good leaders.• Nigerian Youth Movement contributed immensely in

the struggle for independence 6

Challenges Facing the Youth

• Many young people can safely move into adulthood, the transition involves many challenges,

• Among them are insufficient access to education, lack of economic opportunities, inability to fully exercise their citizenship and rights,

• Harmful gender norms, and harmful psycho-social conditions; • High youth un-employability is a major development

challenge in Nigeria.• The situation is heightened by the increasing incidents of

cultism, apathy and disenfranchisement among Nigerian youths 7

Marginalisation of the Youth

• Research shows exclusion of Youth from electoral productive electoral processes

• High rate of recruitment of youth into violence, thuggery, election rigging

• Political exclusion through lack of civic education is high among vulnerable young people, married adolescents, street children, young sex workers, displaced youth, adolescent orphans, young injecting drug users, young people who are trafficked, and domestic servants 8

Strategies for Challenging Vulnerability

• Encouraging Synergy• Shares opportunities to drive change with those

working on complementary issues, towards generating critical mass

• Women, Youth and People with disabilities articulating the demand for change through policy review that is cross cutting e. g. gender and electoral reform, gender and Constitution review

• Violence Against Persons Bill and Equal Opportunities Bill

Women Demand

• NCAA articulates Women’s demand• Implement residency clause• Make elections free and fair • Reposition INEC to be independent • Transparent and fair judicial resolution of electoral

disputes • Mainstream gender in electoral process • Democratise the political parties • Eliminate violence • Strengthen the police

Affirmative Action• Entrenchment of the gender character principle in the Constitution

of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 through the review of sections 14(3) and 147 respectively;

• The adoption of the twinning mechanism at all levels of governance (female/male appointment/nomination where the head is female and deputy is a man or vice versa);

• 35% appointive positions in the leadership structures of Governing Boards, Agencies and Parastatals at local, state and federal levels;

• State Governors to consciously support the emergence of more female candidates towards the 2011 general elections;

• State Houses of Assembly revisit and adopt recommendations for gender responsive reforms in the draft amendments to the Constitution.

Demand for Nigerian Youth• Legislators should pass laws to ensure that companies within their

constituencies to be part of the empowerment program to embrace quota for youth employment.

• Peace Campaigns targeting youth groups within communities to avoid election violence through education, economic empowermen, capacity building and mentoring.

• Government should implement national youth policy.• Increase funding of rehabilitation program for youth victims of drug

addiction..

• Government should implement and enforce laws against human trafficking and provide adequate rehabilitation programs for trafficked persons WDN/ IRI 2010

Youth Empowerment Programmes

• Fund initiatives harnessing the energy and creative power of young people through well designed projects for youths between the ages of 18-30.

• Address youth unemployment in the country through work readiness and entrepreneurial projects

• Focus on confidence building, leadership and mentorship training for youths

• Provide marketable vocational skills training to youths in rural communities

• Implement Projects in tertiary institutions on strengthening existing job centres and career development programmes TYD 2010

People with Disabilities Demand

• The 1999 constitution does not contain any non-discriminatory clause on disability. Amend it to include this

• Section 57 of the 2006 Electoral Act which provides for participation of persons with disabilities, is ineffective as it is unenforceable.

• The 1999 constitution should be reviewed to provide for at least 10 percent affirmative action for persons with disabilities and a non-discriminatory clause.

• Section 57)2) of the 2006 Electoral Act should be made mandatory and a new subsection should be added therein to provide for separate queue or priority voting for persons with disabilities similar to section 52 of the Act. (Basharu ibid)

Provide Special Electoral Materials

• Electoral materials should be designed to make them accessible to all persons with disabilities in appropriate formats, especially in Braille, audio cassettes and/or compact discs (CDs) for the blind and Polling booths should be made accessible

• Civic education should be conducted in a disability friendly manner which is inclusive of persons with disabilities.

• Electoral registration particulars should include information on disability and INEC should train personnel to be able to attend to persons with disabilities. Basharu ibid

General Recommendations

• Make the funding of INEC a charge on the Consolidated Revenue Fund based on nationally agreed criteria;

• Strengthen the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC and the Independent and Corrupt Practices Commission ICPC with powers of investigation and prosecution of corrupt politicians and citizens.

Promote Accountability

• Enforcement of the electoral law that ensures internally democratic political party systems, party funding and condemns political violence to be enforced particularly by Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), government and security agencies

• The development and implementation of internal mechanisms for the implementation of party manifestos IRI/ WDN 2011

Points to Ponder and Remember

‘A nation that is not Engendered is a Nation Endangered’ Women’s Democracy Network, Nigeria

Will women change power or will power change women?

Marie C. Wilson Closing the Leadership Gap Viking 2004 USA

References1. National Gender Policy- Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development Abuja2. 2. Lance-Onyeiwu, M (2011), Excerpts from UN Women’s Preliminary Analysis of the Results of the 2011

General Elections in Nigeria3. National Coalition for Affirmative Action- 2010-cited in Bilkisu Yusuf 2010 The Role of Civil Society in Promoting Women’s Participation in Elections. Presented at the Festschrift Conference ,Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, Bayero University, Kano. October, 18 2010Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development 2010 RESOLUTION OF THE NATIONAL SUMMIT ON WOMEN’S PARTICIPATION IN POLITICS Abuja June 2010 4. Danlami Basharu 2008 - National President,Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities (JONAPWD) Paper presented ELECTORAL REFORM COMMITTEE – PUBLIC HEARINGFRIDAY, 16TH MAY 2008 Abuja Call to Action: Increase Investments for Young People's Health and Development Honorable Saudatu Sani read the Call to Action at the closing on Tuesday, April 29, 200856. Bilkisu Yusuf -2009 Exploring our Commonalities- Paper presented at the NIREC Summit for Nigeria Youth on Inter-Religious Dialogue and Peaceful Co-existence at Minna, Niger State 7. T.Y.Danjuma Foundation 2010 – Call for Proposal TDFoundation Abuja8Women Democracy Network 2011—Communique issued at the End of a Three Day Workshop with Women Politicians and Civil Society Groups Supported by International Republican Institute IRI. Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja February 1-3 2011

BibliographyBibliography1.Redefining Winning – Paper presented by Otive Igbuzor in Honour of women leaders organised by GAA Chelsea Hotel Abuja2.Public dialogue on ‘Political Party Regulation: Gender Perspectives’ organized by the Gender and Affirmative Action (GAA) IBP with support from the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA). March 22 2010 Abuja3.The Heinrich Boll Foundation Nigeria Dialogue on Gender Quotas in Political Structures: Advocacy Strategies for Adoption by Political Parties, May 06, 2010 at the Denis Hotel, Abuja 4. The Nigeria Women’s Fund: Creativity, Capacity and CredibilityAmina Salihu5. Communiqué issued at the Gender Electoral and Constitutional Memoranda Committee GEM Political Committee Meeting Held at the Senate Hearing Room National Assembly on the 4th of May 2009