Gender Inequality and Women Participation in Politics a Case Study of Kaduna 2011 General Election in Nigeria
CHAPTER ONE
Objectives of the Study
The objective, which this research work seeks to achieve includes:
- To assess the nature of women participation in politics in Kaduna State 2011 general election.
- To identify the economic disadvantages associated with the women failure in 2011 general election.
- To identify the cost of running electioneering campaign which was high in the 2011 general election.
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
Introduction
Generally, literature review means the review of the works of several authors, thinkers, philosophers, writers, commentators, who have written books on the same problem areas. The purpose of literature review is, to provide a theoretical perspective for the research work.
For the purpose of this research work therefore, the works of several authors will be reviewed. The concepts to be reviewed in those works including concepts like gender inequality, women and development, women and education in Nigeria, women and political participation, marginalization of women in power and the theory of sexism including its major proponents and tenets.
Conceptual Framework
Gender Inequality
Gender Inequality often stern from social structures that have institutionalized conceptions of gender differences. Cultural stereotypes are possible are possible explanations for gender inequality and the resulting gender disparity. According to Margaret M. (1982), in her article written on the analysis on gender and the society, women have been traditionally are designated to occupations which requires such skills. While these skills are culturally valued, they were typically associated with domesticity. Therefore, occupation requiring these skills is not economically valued. Men have been traditionally viewed as “bread winners” or the workers, so jobs held by men have been historically and economically value and paid higher wages.
Gender inequality can further be understood through the mechanism of sexism. Margaret M. further said in the article on society and gender argued that discrimination takes place in this manner as men and women are subjected to prejudicial treatment based on gender alone.
Evermore, she is of the opinion that, sexism occurs when men and women are subject to prejudicial treatment based on gender alone. Sexism occurs when men and women are framed with two dimension of social cognition.
Benevolent sexism takes place when women are viewed as possessing low degree of competency and high degree of warmth. Although this is the result of a more positive stereotype of women, this still contribute to gender inequality as the stereotype is only applied to women who only conform to the caring and nurturing stereotypes, with the remaining women still been discriminated against as they are not viewed in the positive light. In addition, this form of sexism has negative effects as well as these notions of women, which includes the idea that women are weak and in need of protection from the men.
CHAPTER THREE
METHODOLOGY
Brief Outline Of The Study
The researcher intends to adopt the quantitative method of data analysis. The primary source of data will be collected through questionnaires which will be administered randomly using the three senatorial zones of the state. The secondary source will include books, journals on gender inequality and also publication on electronic media. In collecting data, statistical tools will be used such as percentage and diagrams.
Design Of The Study
The researcher adopted the survey approach and examination of secondary data.
Area Of The Study
The Area of the study consist of Five Selected villages in Kaduna which . .nclude:Buruku, Alaka,Laima, Katabu, Kujama.
Population Of The Study
- The population of Kaduna is 993,642 according to March, 2006 National Census.
- The researcher equally interviewed thirty (30) people from Five selected villages.
CHAPTER FOUR
DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS
Introduction
This chapter shows how data was obtained from the field were presented and analysed. One hundred and fifty (150) questionnaires were distributed to the respondents; 110 were properly filled and returned while the remaining 40 was not returned. To this end, the chapter describes respondents characteristic, analysis of research questions.
Table 4.1 displays respondents gender. To this end, the analysis indicates that the male respondents is 56.0 percent while respondents distribution of female makes up 44.0 percent.
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
This chapter summarises all activities and outcomes involved in this study. It also presents the final conclusion of this study as well as recommendations which are based on these findings of the study.
Summary of Findings
From the summary obtained in the research work, the view was that women actually face massive obstacles which hinders their participation in politics. Apart from the fact that majority men do not allow their wives to participate in politics, the study also revealed that a lot of women believe that politics will prevent them from taking care of their families. From the research work conducted, it was also noticed that as a result of the domineering attitude of the men in the field of politics, little chance have been presented to the women in order for them to involve actively in the political arena of Kaduna state.
Furthermore, the hypothesis shows that economic disadvantage played a key role in the poor performance of women in the 2011 general election in Kaduna state. So therefore the hypothesis was accepted because there is a correlation between low participation of women in politics and economic disadvantage in the study area.
Conclusion
Women have failed to acknowledge the existing gender competition in the contemporary world. The failure of women to realise this have resulted into certain outcomes such as perceiving politics as a dirty game, name calling of female politicians as deviant and voting over-whelming for men contestant rather women in elections.
The poor level of women consciousness regarding sex class struggle between them and men is a product of two deficiencies, majority of Kaduna state women are illiterate. As much as 61% of the women population suffer from intellectual poverty (Ojuolape, 2000:7). Kaduna state has consistently fail to abide by the internationally agreed 30% affirmative actions (1985 Nairobi and 1995 Beijing United Nation declarations and the 1999 convention on the elimination of all forms of discrimination against women) on gender equality in the political process. Affirmative instrument for gender mainstreaming, a gender character principles (GCP) should be enacted as part of the nation’s constitution.
Recommendations
The recommendations of the research findings are as follows:
- There should be an established law that will give both men and women equal platform to participate in the politics in every state especially Kaduna state.
- In order to ensure active participation of women in politics, Government and political parties should increase the level of awareness of women by organising seminars, workshops not only in the cities but also in the villages.
- Women should be oriented about the need to participate in politics.
- Government at all level should encourage Girl child education which can be made compulsory that all female of school age should go to school free of charge. This will give them equal opportunity with their male counterparts.
- Enactment of legal framework by the national assembly that would make it mandatory for government at all levels to ensure 40% women representation in all affairs of the state. Such gender sensitive legislation will also alter the prevailing sexist attitude, and therefore guarantee women’s political future.
- Adequate inclusion of women in governance will give more meaning to the nation emerging democracy.
- The level of discrimination against women should be stopped to allow gender equality between men and women in politics
REFERENCES
- Abayomi, O.O. (2000). State and Citizens, Law Researchers Nigeria Limited.
- Ajayi, O.O. (2007). Gender Self-Endangering the Sexist Issues in Nigerian Politics, Journal of Political Science, Vol. 14, and pp. 137-147.
- Benue Valley Journal of Humanities, Vol. 6, No. 2, December 2005.
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- Faseke, M. (2001). The Nigerian Woman: Her Economic and Socio-Political Status in Time Perspective. Ibadan: Agape Publication.
- George, U.G. (1990). Theoretical Position of Gender Roles in the Society; L Ohooode (Ed), Women and the Social Role of Women in Election Campaign, Ado Ekiti.
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- International Journal of Social and Policy Issues (2009), Volume Number 1 and 2.
- International Journal of Social and Policy Issues (2009), Volume 6.
- Margaret, M. Society and Gender, Wikipedia.
