By Amos Tauna:
Determined to ensure a peaceful conduct of the electoral process in the country, before, during and after the 2019 general elections, a one day media roundtable on ‘Stop Violence Against Women in Politics has been held in Kaduna, northern Nigeria.
Executive Director, Stop Violence Against Women In Politics, Mrs Rebecca Sako John, said the programme was strategically organized for the media as a way of sensitizing the public especially women, youth and the vulnerable to know their roles during the entire process for a peaceful and harmonious electoral process for enhanced democracy.
She noted that women and the vulnerable always suffer during any violence thereby discouraging them from full participation in politics.
Sako John observed that in spite of the significant population of women in electing elective public offices at all levels of governance in the country, they are not considered in electing them into sensitive positions of governance.
She highlighted socio-cultural factor as a main challenge the women faced as they are not considered for elective position in certain sections in the country, adding that women also suffer from voter apathy as some of them are being directed against their conscious to vote candidates directed by their spouses.
She explained that the NGO was collaborating with other stakeholders like the religious and traditional leaders as channels to reach their subjects as ways to enlighten them on peaceful election in all parts of the country.
The Executive Director stressed the need for security agents to curb violence during the campaigning period.
She lamented that women suffer physical, sexual and psychological harm resulting to death, stigmatization, emotional, among others harms they are confronted with before, during and after elections.
She assured that the NGO would continue to sensitize stakeholders for a better understanding towards ensuring a peaceful and harmonious coexistence during electioneering campaigns.
At the local government level, she said, representatives would be chosen to educate them by the NGO, pointing out that they will in turn go and sensitize their people on what is expected of them towards ensuring election free society.