The Inter-Party Advisory Committee(IPAC) has urged all political parties to meet the 35 per cent of all inclusion of women, girls and People Living With Disability (PWDs).
The National Chairman of IPAC, Mr Yabagi Sani, said this at its National-Level meeting, in collaboration with the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), as well as Stakeholders Democracy Network (SDN) on Wednesday in Abuja.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the leadership programme was to share the feat of Women, Youths Agenda (WAYA) and PWDs for 2023 elections in Rivers and Nigeria as a whole.
Sani said IPAC wanted to awake the consciousness of Nigerians and the political parties to do more in the area of participation of women, girls and PWDs in the political process.
“Also, for Nigerians and the political parties to have free and fair elections this year and beyond.
“IPAC is always ready to cooperate with the political parties in actualising the objectives of the participation in the electoral process.
“Violence has been a recurring decimal in the country’s elections which had affected most women, girls and PWDs not to participate for the fear of being affected.
“Democracy as we all know is a peaceful process and we must maintain the peace during the 2023 elections,” he said.
Sani urged Nigerians to be peaceful during the forthcoming elections, saying, “this is because Nigeria is a leader in Africa and that her action is being watched in the global arena.”
Also speaking, Mr Celestine Okwudili, the Programme Manager, Governance for Actionaid, said IPAC’s role in the political process was vital, adding that it is at the centre of the political process.
He said: “it is unfortunate that the political parties are not conforming to the role of democracy.”
Okwudili further said that the focus of their work was to educate the people on their rights.
“Women, girls and PWDs should be part of the political parties and also be captured in some of the political parties’ structures.
“Actionaid is not supporting any political party because we are nuetural, but we are interested in the inclusion of all,” he said.
NAN reports that Actionaid stands for promoting human rights and eradicating poverty.
Dr Joseph Ekong, the Project Officer, Governance, Security and Stabilisation for SDN said that women and youth, including persons with disabilities were underrepresented in politics, governance processes and their priorities were systematically neglected.
“Adopting and implementing affirmative action policies to ensure at least 35 per cent representation of women in appointed and elective positions and others,” Ekong said.
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