2027: Stakeholders Call for Massive Support, Investment in Women Leadership Development
Lawrence Nwimo, Awka
Ahead of the 2027 general election, some stakeholders in Southeast have called for increased support and investment in women’s leadership development to enable participation in politics and fair representation.
They said this will help bridge the significant gender gap in governance, fostering more inclusive decision-making processes in the region and beyond.
The stakeholders made the call on Thursday, during a Focus Group Discussion in Awka tagged: “Understanding Influence of Gender Norms on Women’s Leadership in South-East Nigeria.”
The event was organized by HEIR Women Hub, a nongovernmental organization focused on advancing social inclusion, disability rights, and gender balance through strategic partnerships, advocacy, and private sector engagement.
Declaring the event open, Executive Director of HEIR Women Hub, Añuli Aniebo noted that Nigeria’s political landscape is marred by a significant gender gap, with women woefully underrepresented at the federal, regional and state levels.
She said, “women are underrepresented across legislative and executive levels of governance, with only 20 women out of 469 members in the National Assembly.
“In the South East, the representation is even more concerning, with only five female legislators in total, and two states (Abia and Imo) having zero female representation in their State Houses of Assembly.”
She continued, “the Senate has 3.7% female representation, while the House of Representatives has 4.4%. Executive representation is also limited, with only two female deputy governors across the region.”
Aniebo said the glaring imbalance underscores the urgent need for change, echoing calls to strengthen support for women candidates, promote inclusive political policies and ensure gender equity in governance to bridge the chasm and foster a more inclusive governance structure.
Another speaker from the Anambra State Ministry of Justice, Chinenye Nwigwe, highlighted how fear, stigma, and social bias silence women, lamenting that women in Southeast still face significant barriers to political participation, hindered by cultural norms and politicians themselves
She however expressed hope amid gradual progress in governance, noting increased women representation as Permanent Secretaries, Directors, and Heads of Ministries and Agencies, despite low numbers in politics.
Other stakeholders that spoke at the event, emphasized that increasing women participation in governance is critical for equitable development and stronger democratic institutions.
They noted that inclusive leadership leads to more balanced policymaking, improved social outcomes, and stronger democratic institutions.
