Stakeholders have lamented the poor representation of women and Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) in politics and governance in Gombe State.
They made the lamentation during a stakeholders’ sensitisation town hall meeting organised by the ‘Women’s Rights Advancement and Protection Alternative‘ (WRAPA) Gombe State Chapter in collaboration with Dandalin Matasa Initiative for Rapid Development, under the Gender Equity, Social Inclusion and Accountability Project, supported by MacArthur Foundation.
The event, themed “The Unfinished Business,” was held at the State Hotel Kaltungo in the Kaltungo LGA. It drew approximately 45 grassroots stakeholders, including women’s and youth groups, community and religious leaders, and civil society organisations.
Speaking at the event, WRAPA State Coordinator, Anita Dogo, noted the organisation’s efforts in advancing women’s rights and participation in politics.
She expressed concern over the low representation of women in governance in the State.
She cited the absence of a single female member in the State House of Assembly and the minimal presence of women and persons with disabilities in local government councils, noting that there is only one PWD councillor out of the 114 wards in the state.
The Executive Director of Dandalin Matasa Initiative for Rapid Development, Bachama Yusuf, explained that the meeting was aimed at promoting effective participation of women and persons with disabilities in politics and decision-making processes.
He highlighted the challenges with electoral reforms in Nigeria and emphasised the need for implementing the ‘Justice Uwais Report’ to strengthen democracy.
He urged stakeholders to demand accountability for gender equity and social inclusion in governance.
In her remarks, the Programme Officer of WRAPA national secretariat, Zainab Abdulrasheed, commended the stakeholders for their dedication to mobilising women and persons with disabilities to improve governance accountability and service delivery.
The stakeholders resolved to take a significant step towards promoting inclusive governance and gender equity in the state in the 2027 elections by mobilising women and PWDs to register massively in political parties.
