By Danjuma Attah, Gombe
The Gombe Network of Civil Society Organizations (GONET) and Gombe Women Agenda (GWA), has made a strong call on political parties to demonstrate commitment towards gender justice and inclusive governance as political activities heightens ahead of the 2027 elections.
The call is against the backdrop of an organized and sustained agitation for democratic fairness through the adoption of affirmative action measures and support for special seats for women.
The call was made in a joint press statement signed by Ibrahim Yusuf, for GONET and Dr. Leah Iliya Jalo, for GWA, where they maintained that despite constituting nearly half of the population and playing critical roles in community development, women in Gombe State remain grossly underrepresented in political leadership and decision-making positions.
According to the CSO’s, the persistent gap against the women folk is not due to lack of competence or interest, but rather the result of deep-rooted structural, cultural, and financial barriers embedded within political systems and party processes.
They explained that the affirmative action and the proposed special seats for women are not privileges but rather, corrective and transformative measures designed to address historical injustices, level the playing field, and ensure that women’s voices are meaningfully represented in governance.
“A truly democratic society must reflect the diversity of its people. Without the active inclusion of women in leadership, governance remains incomplete, and development outcomes are limited”, they said while calling on political parties to adopt and implement affirmative action policies within party structures.
This is to ensure that a minimum percentage of women in leadership positions and as candidates in elections, they insisted.
They therefor particularly called for public endorsement and support for the Special Seats for Women Bill, as a strategic pathway to accelerate women’s representation in legislative bodies; reserve a significant proportion of party tickets at local, state, and national levels for qualified women aspirants.
Other demands are; to reduce or completely waive nomination fees for women, the establishment of women-friendly internal party systems, leadership training and protection against political violence and intimidation and the promotion of transparent, inclusive, and merit-based candidate selection processes that give women a fair
chance to compete.
“Affirmative action and special seats are not acts of charity, they are proven democratic tools used globally to accelerate inclusion and strengthen governance.
“Increasing women’s representation will lead to more responsive and inclusive policymaking, improved focus on education, healthcare, and social welfare, stronger community development and peacebuilding outcomes and greater public trust in democratic institutions,” they assured.
End.
