Gender, Democracy, and National Development in Nigeria

Abstract

This study examines the relationship among gender, democracy, and national development in Nigeria. This translates to a discussion of the possible linkages among gender identity, gendered representation, and national development in the country. Beyond the typical gender theorization, this article squarely focuses on women’s political representation within the Nigerian state and the power implications of the inherent challenges. The work reechoes the issue of underdevelopment as a societal phenomenon. The methodology of the contribution is normative argumentation. The theoretical framework is the power theory. The study concludes that the disarticulations between gendered representation and democracy have invariably led to contentious national development in Nigeria.

Gender Equality and Sustainable Development in Nigeria: Issues and Challenges

“…Gbadebo et al (2018) premised their study on the association between gender equality and sustainable development, the magnitude of the relationship between gender equity and sustainable development in Nigeria and how the relationship between men and women affect sustainable development in Nigeria; the factors raised in this present study are missing, they are not addressed there, hence this present study adds to knowledge and bridges gap in this regard. Idike et al (2020) looked at gender identity, democracy and national development in their study, but this present study goes further to look at socio-cultural factors, illiteracy and poverty, inequality in the workplace between the genders and economic challenges that militate against the female gender which may hinder sustainable development. Hence, this present study chooses to work on the factors raised in this study to bridge the gap and add to the existing studies on gender equality and sustainable development in literature.…”

Women and Insecurity in Nigeria: The Way Forward

“…About 70% of the world's poorest were women. Nigerian women were an insignificant and weakened force (Idike et al, 2020 ). However, this development did not stop women from contributing to insecurity in Nigeria.…”

“…The national threat in Nigeria was due to some factors that included poor government policies, corruption, poverty, unemployment, and a weak judiciary system, among others. These have really affected the growth of the nation adversely (Idike et al, 2020 ). Obi ( 2015 ) found out that insecurity, such as terrorism had negative effects on the development of Nigeria.…”

“…However, women had not been made to head core agencies and other bodies in charge of insecurity in the country like the military and the police as they should. The only exceptions were the appointment of women like Mrs. Olusola Obada as Nigeria's Minister of State for Defense from 2011 to 2012 and then the substantive Minister of Defense from 2012 to 2013 (superintending over the Nigeria military structures) and Fidelia Njeze who was the Minister of State for Defense in July 2007 (Idike et al, 2020 ). It is worthy to note that even these women were merely Ministers of State for Defense and when Mrs. Olusola Obada became the substantive Minister of Defense, she only supervised the military structures.…”

“…Women have the right to partake in decision-making, including that of insecurity in the country. The United Nations Development Programmes' ( 1994 ) Human Development Report showed that global security should be long-drawn-out to include seven areas, such as economic, health, community, food, environmental, human, and political security (Idike et al, 2020 ). Premium Times ( 2021 ) stated that there was a need for Nigeria to build on women's original awareness and involve them in the communal peace architecture as peacekeepers and mediators to end insecurity.…”