The Southern Women’s Forum (SWF), a regional and non-partisan platform that promotes and promotes the cause of women’s political participation in Southern Nigeria, has lamented the decline in women’s political representation, as it has condemned the electoral violence and voter suppression that characterized it. 2023 general elections across the country.
In a statement yesterday by the body’s secretary, Maryam Rahim, she said the spate of election violence if not checked, will discourage more women from participating in the election process, especially vying for political office.
“While we congratulate all the women who won legislative seats, we commend Nigerian women for their tenacity to find relevance and inclusion in a political space dominated by many men. The forum rejects the low number of women in the National Assembly. We admonish all elected legislators women to represent the constituents well and Nigerian women at large.
“It is imperative that we have more women at all levels of government through appointed, executive and legislative roles. While we support women’s ambitions to seek office regardless of religion, tribe and political affiliation, we will continue to demand and hold leaders accountable to ensure that the representation of Southern women is a priority,” Rahim said.