The United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women) has raised concerns over the low representation of women among candidates for Nigeria’s 2027 general elections, revealing that they account for only 9.7 per cent of the total.
The organisation warned that allowing gender prejudice to influence voting decisions could further entrench women’s marginalisation in political leadership.
To address the challenge, UN Women has launched the #VoteHer2027 campaign, urging Nigerians to assess candidates based on competence, integrity, experience and policy proposals rather than gender.
In a statement issued in Abuja on Wednesday, the organisation said the low percentage of female candidates highlighted the extent of women’s exclusion from Nigeria’s political process, despite representing nearly half of the country’s population.
It noted that even if all female candidates won their respective elections, women’s representation in elected offices would still remain significantly below equal participation.
UN Women stressed that women should neither be elected solely because of their gender nor denied electoral support on the same basis.
“Women must have a fair chance to help shape the laws, policies and priorities that govern their lives and communities,” the organisation said.
It maintained that women’s participation in governance was fundamentally a matter of fairness, equal rights and social justice, noting that decisions made by elected representatives affected both men and women.
The organisation warned that gender stereotypes in electoral choices could undermine democratic representation and Nigeria’s commitment to equality.
It also recalled the country’s commitments to promoting women’s political participation through international and national frameworks, including the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), the Maputo Protocol and the Beijing Platform for Action.
Nigeria’s National Gender Policy also provides for affirmative action, with representation targets ranging from 30 to 50 per cent.
However, UN Women expressed concern over the persistent gap between these commitments and women’s actual participation in elective offices.
As part of the campaign, the organisation said it would deploy radio, social media and partnerships with media organisations to challenge discriminatory narratives and promote issue-based voting.
A key component of the initiative is NO BE BY GENDER, an issue-based radio drama and expert call-in programme scheduled for broadcast on Radio Nigeria Network.
The programme aims to use relatable stories and discussions with experts and gender advocates to expose stereotypes, myths and socio-cultural barriers discouraging support for women seeking elective positions.
It will also encourage listeners to reconsider assumptions about women in leadership and evaluate candidates based on their ideas, track records and ability to deliver.
UN Women said it would engage media partners to promote discussions on women’s political participation and encourage fair and balanced coverage of female candidates.
The organisation urged journalists to avoid reporting narratives that reinforce gender stereotypes and ensure women candidates receive the same level of scrutiny and visibility as their male counterparts.
It also called on political and traditional leaders, civil society organisations, influencers and community stakeholders to intensify advocacy against gender discrimination in the electoral process.
UN Women warned that failure to address barriers confronting women in politics could widen the gender gap in governance and undermine inclusive democratic representation.
With women accounting for only 9.7 per cent of candidates, the organisation urged Nigerians to reject prejudice at the ballot box and make electoral choices based on candidates’ competence, integrity, experience and capacity to address the country’s challenges.
