2027: Stakeholders urged to educate communities on women’s political participation

Religious and traditional institutions have been urged to educate their communities on the importance of women’s participation in politics, stressing that it is neither against religious teachings nor a cultural taboo.

The call was made by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) North-West women zonal leader, Hajiya Zainab Audu Bako, during a two-day leadership training workshop for women in Kano State, organised by Partners West Africa Nigeria (PWAN) with support from Irish Aid, to strengthen their political participation and prepare them for effective engagement in the 2027 general elections.

At the workshop, themed around women’s political leadership and campaign readiness, she expressed concern over the low number of women contesting elective positions ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Bako disclosed that only two women in Kano State were contesting seats in the State House of Assembly, describing the figure as a reflection of the low level of women’s participation in the state’s political process.

She noted that the number fell significantly short of the 35 per cent affirmative action target for women’s representation in decision-making processes, which she said underscored the need for greater commitment from stakeholders to promote women’s political inclusion.

According to her, religious and traditional institutions have crucial roles to play in addressing misconceptions surrounding women’s participation in politics.

She called on the institutions to engage their followers and communities in constructive discussions to dispel beliefs that religion and tradition prohibit women from participating in political activities.

Bako explained that women’s involvement in politics should not be perceived as an attempt to wrest political leadership from men but as an opportunity for women to contribute to governance and national development.

She added that increased women’s representation in legislative bodies would enable them to raise issues affecting women and advocate solutions to the challenges confronting them.

Bako therefore urged stakeholders to support efforts aimed at encouraging more women to participate in politics and seek elective positions, particularly as preparations for the 2027 general elections gather momentum.

Speaking at the opening of the workshop, PWAN’s Human Resources Manager, Mr Husaini Daniel Benjamin, said the programme was designed to empower women to exercise their leadership influence effectively, safely and accountably in their communities and institutions.

He said the workshop brought together women from diverse backgrounds, including political leaders, community mobilisers, civic advocates, faith-based organisations and traditional institutions, to strengthen their capacity to contribute meaningfully to decision-making.

The organisation noted that women continued to face significant challenges in political participation, including gender discrimination, restrictive social norms, limited access to resources and leadership opportunities, political intimidation, harassment and electoral violence.

Despite these obstacles, PWAN acknowledged women’s contributions to community development and democratic processes, stressing the need to create an enabling environment for their increased participation in leadership and governance.

Hajiya Hadiza Bala Fagge, Chairperson of the Women, Peace and Security network in Kano State, also highlighted the importance of strengthening women’s leadership capacity and preparing them to participate effectively in political and electoral processes.

The organisers explained that the training would provide a participatory platform for women to share experiences, develop practical leadership skills and build partnerships across political, civic, religious and traditional institutions.

The programme covers six major areas: leadership roles and personal effectiveness; gender barriers and inclusive decision-making; communication, negotiation and public engagement; stakeholder engagement and collective action; accountable leadership and resource mobilisation; and safe leadership, conflict management and action planning.

Participants are also expected to learn strategies for identifying and responding to risks associated with public leadership, including intimidation, gender-based violence, online harassment and other threats.

The sessions are being facilitated by Hajiya Hadiza Bala Fagge and Halima Sadiya Nuradeen through interactive discussions, question-and-answer sessions and practical exercises designed to encourage peer learning.

According to the organisers, the workshop will strengthen participants’ communication, negotiation and stakeholder engagement skills while equipping them with strategies to mobilise resources, build alliances and advance shared community priorities.

A key outcome of the programme is the development of a practical and measurable 90-day leadership action plan by each participant.

The plans are expected to outline individual priorities, responsibilities, required resources, accountability measures and indicators for monitoring progress.

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Participants will also be encouraged to maintain contact with their assigned peer-support partners and take part in follow-up assessments after 30 and 90 days to evaluate progress in implementing their action plans.

PWAN said the intervention was part of its broader commitment to strengthening citizens’ participation, improving governance and promoting peaceful electoral processes in Nigeria.

The organisation expressed appreciation to Irish Aid for supporting the initiative, expressing optimism that the workshop would foster a stronger network of women leaders in Kano State.

It added that the programme would contribute to safer, more inclusive and gender-responsive electoral processes by preparing women to participate more actively in elections, governance and community development ahead of the 2027 general elections.