Support women candidates in 2023 elections – Rights groups

Ahead of the 2023 general elections, the New Life Community Care Initiative (NELCCI), and other non-governmental organizations have commenced moves to ensure effective participation of women in the political process.

To drive home the point, NELCCI, in partnership with WomenAid Collective, WACOL, and ActionAid Nigeria, took a two-day sensitization on voter’s education and women participation in politics and leadership positions to the five villages in Obioma Udi Local Government Area of Enugu State.

The sensitization had in attendance over 40 women drawn from the communities.

In her speech, the Executive Director, New Life Community Care Initiative (NELCCI) Florence Ifeanyi-Aneke emphasized the need for women to know their rights at all times.

She said as the 2023 election approached, the women should be at the forefront of making sure that the right candidates were voted into office.

“To achieve this, you must first of all obtain your voters’ card; then make yourself part of the political process. A woman is eminently qualified to hold any elective position in Nigeria.

“So, this time around, the women should be ready to support one of their own,” she advocated.

She maintained that women’s access to right information was a prelude to financial freedom.

Also speaking, the facilitator and the Executive Director, Women Development and Empowerment Centre (WODEC) Mrs. Ogochukwu Ene also advised the women to get their voter’s card.

“This is to ensure no one is disenfranchised in the upcoming election in 2023. You should also support any woman that will contest in 2023, irrespective of the person`s party.”

She added that “girls and women also have the right to engage in civil society, vote in elections, be elected to government offices, school elections, serve on boards and make their voices heard in any process that will ultimately affect them, their families and their communities.

“As such, increase in girls’ and women’s right to political participation is a necessary step to achieving global gender equality and democratic governance. Increasing women participation in politics leads to greater investment in all spheres.”

Meanwhile, one of the participants narrated how NELCCI`s intervention impacted her life.

According to her, “it was after the last sensitization on female inheritance that I realized I have rights to my father`s property.

“Our father had many houses and landed properties before he died but after his death my male siblings took over everything.

“They sell lands from time to time without giving me and my sister anything except a hundred thousand naira each that was given to us on one occasion.

“It was after NELCCI`s sensitization on Gender Based Violence (GBV) that I approached my sister to inform her about our rights to our father`s property which resulted in subsequent meetings with our brothers.

“Initially, our brothers were reluctant but we stood our ground on our rights to inheritance. The good news is that we got three plots each from our brothers afterwards. I am so happy with NELCCI and will not forget them in a hurry for their support in my life.”