The title of this Blog post was my presentation at the two-day orientation workshop for newly elected female Legislators to State Houses of Assembly in Nigeria, held at Radisson Blu Anchorage Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos, 17-18 May 2023. The workshop was organised by International Republican Institute (IRI) & Women's Democracy Network (WDC) in conjunction with National Institute for Legislative Studies (NILDS) & Kimpact Development Initiative (KDI). I was invited as a valued Facilitator/Trainer. The theme of the workshop was 'From winning to governing orientation.'
Some of the topics and facilitators are:
*Taking Office: Overview of State Assembly structure & the law-making process - Prof. Jake Dan-Azumi (SA Technical to DG NILDS)
*Navigating tech-facilitated violence against women in politics - Bukky Shonibare (ED Invictus Africa)
*Legislative oversight & accountability: Principles, benchmarks & best practices - Dr. Ernest Ereke (IRI Consultant)
*Legislative committee system: Procedure, politics & challenges - Dr. Chris Ngara (Research Fellow, NILDS)
*Engaging the system:
a) Legislative-Executive-Judiciary relationships - Prof. Adewale Aderemi (Director, Democracy & Governance, NILDS)
b) Imperative of Female Caucuses - Hon. Mrs. Taiwo Oluga (Chairperson, House of Representatives Committee of Women in Parliament)
*Gender-responsive legislative agenda - Dr. Dayo Oluyemi-Kusa (Independent Conflict Transformation Strategist/Gender Specialist & Former Director, Institute for Peace & Conflict Resolution - IPCR, Abuja)
*A roadmap to advance gender equity in political leadership in Nigeria - Ibijoke Faborode (CEO ElectHER)
*Critical reflection on Gender Bills - Senator Biodun Olujimi (Chairman, Senate Committee on Aviation)
*Gender-responsive budgeting - Beatrice Eyong (UN Women Country Representative in Nigeria)
*Legislative representation: Engaging the citizenry & the media - Bukola Idowu (Team Lead, KDI)
*Bolstering your brand: Managing a strategic plan & building your team/Guiding principles for hiring & firing Legislative Aides - Hon. Simon Karu (Member, House of Representatives)
My paper, 'Gender-responsive legislative agenda', was rather interactive. Representatives of five out of six geo-political zones were present. The participants were asked to list the service delivery deficit in their states that could negatively impact the female gender, and indeed both genders. The responses were quite insightful from one zone, nay state to the other. They were then asked to state what they would do as female legislators to bridge the lacunae in service delivery in various sectors identified - Education, Health, Transportation, Agriculture, etc.
The responses were quite illuminating. I shall follow up with the legislators as regards their progress in ensuring better service delivery in their states via legislation, community engagement, self-improvement, holding the executive accountable, etc. A WhatsApp group to be set up by the organisers, specifically for progress on gender-responsive legislative agenda, my presentation, would ensure continuation of this important discourse with the female legislators.
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