Support Women Candidates In 2023 Elections — Rights Groups
The New Life Community Care Initiative (NELCCI) and other non-governmental groups have begun efforts to ensure effective participation of women in the political process ahead of the 2023 general elections.
To emphasize the point, NELCCI organized a two-day sensitization on voter education and women’s participation in politics and leadership positions in five communities in Enugu State’s Obioma Udi Local Government Area, in collaboration with WomenAid Collective, WACOL, and ActionAid Nigeria.
Over 40 ladies from the surrounding communities attended the sensitization.
Florence Ifeanyi-Aneke, Executive Director of the New Life Community Care Initiative (NELCCI), underlined the importance of women knowing their rights at all times in her remarks.
As the 2023 election approaches, she believes women should be at the forefront of ensuring that the appropriate candidates are elected.
“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.”
