Greater Women Participation in Decision-Making and Governance of Ogun State, Nigeria: A Bottom-Up Approach

Abstract

The representation of women at the highest levels of public decision making and governance has been a major issue for decades now. However, in spite of efforts of the United Nations to ensure greater involvement of women through recommendation of gender quota of 30% for women, there is a high level of marginalization of women in decision making and governance roles in most countries of the world. Nigeria, Africa's most populated country falls among countries that continue to experience the under representation of women. The few women who have been either been elected or appointed to key decision making and governance positions, in Ogun State have excelled beyond their male counterparts. The paper argues that given the success of the few women that have been involved in the past, the marginalization of women cannot be excused. This is especially so, given that smaller countries such as Rwanda, Burundi, and Mozambique have gone beyond the 30% quota and are targeting 50% representation of women. The study a desk research, relied entirely on secondary data, and adopting the liberal feminist theory as its theoretical construct argued that all impediments to greater women involvement in decision making and governance roles must be removed. There is need for all stakeholders to collaborate to ensure that effective strategies are implemented from the community, ward, local and state levels to ensure that the highly qualified and competent women are elected and appointed to decision making and governance positions for the good of the society.