We need to improve on women representation in politics – Hafsat Sey Sumani

Story: Rahamatu-Lahi Zakaria || Sanatu Zambang Newsroom

Women in politics seem to be on the rise but the story is different in the northern region and the recently held district assembly elections are proof of that. The numbers are dwindling. We have moved from 18% to 7% of women representation at the district assemblies. There are a lot of factors that seem to hinder the participation of women in politics in this part of the country that we find ourselves. 

Speaking on Sanatu Zambang Talking Politics and Policies, Hajia Hafsat Sey Sumani of Norsaac believes that men fear for women to hold positions of power because of the perception of losing certain powers.

‘’We ask ourselves the questions what dimensions are coming up. I think over the years in this country, we seem to be talking more than we do and so at some point when you interact with some people,  it is not like they believe that women cannot deliver but the ascension that, if we put the woman there, things will not run the way we feel not because the woman is not competent but I think, there is that perception and even in our household those perceptions are there. The perception of fear of losing certain powers and for me that is what I hold.’’

Hajia Hafsat Sey Sumani

Over the years, we have been hovering between 10-13% of women representation especially in politics and this is something we need to improve on.

If you go to parliament, we do not really have a good number and if you come to the assembly level is the same. This picture painted about women representation in politics in the country is dishearten especially if you consider the just ended district assembly elections.

For decades as a country, we seem to be talking more than we do more. A bill that was supposed to help push women and get greater representation of women in decision making bodies in the country has been put on the shelve to gather dust. The government come and go. Each successive government talks about the affirmative action bill but this bill has not been passed yet.

‘’And I think over the years we have been pushing for the affirmative action bill to be a pass. Not necessary we just want the affirmative action bill to be pass, but we want it to be pass so the action will be taken and so we have been making noise and I think it has been decades.’’

Hajia Hafsat Sey Sumani

‘’All the governments come and they go everyone talks and go so it gets me a bit worried that none of the successive government are ready to run with us. And that is my worry as a development worker,‘’ she added.

Other issues that Hajia raised were the environment for women to work which sometimes makes working there difficult and they are not able to perform. she makes a scenario where a woman is surrounded by men in her team who do not believe in her capabilities.

‘’ Sometimes we need to look at the environment. It is not just about putting the woman there. You want to help a woman. But you put her in a position where the executive committee members are all men and the woman is in the center. If there are five men in the executive committee and none of them believe women can do. What do you think will happen, either she will be overshadowed or tagged?

Hajia Hafsat Sey Sumani

‘’ If you put a woman in the midst of five men and none of them believe in the affirmative thing, they don’t believe in what we do, definitely, that woman will not succeed. That happened in the bus branding thing. Nobody looked at it from that angle.’’

Hajia Hafsat Sey Sumani

She ended her conservation by calling on all women and people who believe in affirmative action to rally and support all women who are vying for positions in the upcoming general election ‘’so we can have a better representation of women in our politics.’’

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