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In the last nine months Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD) Nigeria – in partnership with the Nigerian National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS) – focused on modalities for inclusive and effective participation of underrepresented groups in political parties. Through a project titled Political Party Watch (PPW), the partnership built on an earlier study conducted by WFD in 2021. The study found there was a need to increase the level of transparency, accountability, and inclusion of underrepresented groups to participate effectively into political parties’ procedures and operations.
“Change is the end result of all true learning.” ― Leo Buscaglia
The primary reason for the establishment of the Ondo State Agency Against Gender-Based Violence (OSAA-GBV) was to tackle the increasing level of violence against persons in all its forms, including GBV. As such, the Ondo State VAPP law, which was passed in July 2021, is a vital instrument for the agency to fulfil this objective. While the VAPP law has numerous provisions to protect all persons, regardless of gender, the greatest beneficiaries are women and children as they are often the targets of, not just GBV but, all forms of violence, including political violence.
The primary reason for the establishment of the Ondo State Agency Against Gender-Based Violence (OSAA-GBV) was to tackle the increasing level of violence against persons in all its forms, including GBV. As such, the Ondo State VAPP law, which was passed in July 2021, is a vital instrument for the agency to fulfil this objective. While the VAPP law has numerous provisions to protect all persons, regardless of gender, the greatest beneficiaries are women and children as they are often the targets of, not just GBV but, all forms of violence, including political violence.
The violence against persons prohibition VAPP Law in Nigeria provides a legal framework for the protection of all citizens – including vulnerable people such as women, girls, children, youth, and persons with disabilities (PWDs). To ensure grassroots stakeholders have good knowledge and understanding of the content of the Ondo State VAPP Law, WFD partnered with the Ondo State Agency Against Gender-Based Violence (OSAA-GBV) and the office of the first Lady of Ondo state to conduct community sensitisation.
The shrinking space for women, young people, and persons with disabilities in the political process requires continuous engagement with various stakeholders on the importance of inclusive governance. To support this engagement, WFD recently implemented activities in Nigeria reinforcing the use of the new media to promote inclusion.
Through the Global Equality Project (GEP), WFD is supporting the Ondo State Government to implement the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) law which was passed and assented in 2021. The intervention will deploy an online learning platform to teach students in both primary and secondary schools on the provisions of the law.
In 2021-22, our Global Equality Project (GEP) built on the success of our previous project on equality in the Commonwealth.
In less than a year’s time, Nigerians will be heading to the polls. The 2023 general elections scheduled for February/March 2023 will be the 7th since the country returned to democratic governance 23 years ago. This is the longest period of democratic governance in the history of Nigeria. While this is the case, there are a few challenges to be addressed in the journey towards strengthening democracy.
In partnership with the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS), WFD conducted three series of Policy Dialogues on topical concerns that were of interests to the diverse population of Nigeria. The dialogues brought together a broad range of participants to reflect on the concerns, and to offer doable solutions.
WFD and Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS) supported parliamentarians in five Sub-Saharan Africa countries prepare for COP26.
WFD, through the Commonwealth Equality Project (CEP), supported the Oyo State House of Assembly and the people of Oyo state to review and pass the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Bill into law.
Ahead of the 2021 general election in 2023, the nation’s electoral body, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), partnered with WFD to organise a workshop for its members to review the Voter Education Manual.
Working with the parliament in Edo State, WFD has been supporting the adoption and implementation of the Open Government Partnership.
Despite young people constituting about 70% of the Nigerian population, they still face exclusion from governance in the West Africa country. To address this, WFD supported the Young Parliamentarians Forum (YPF) in holding an emergency national strategy retreat on rethinking youth development.
On Friday 15th of May, WFD in partnership with the Nigerian Women Trust Fund (NWTF), convened a webinar to discuss strengthening of democracy in Nigeria, with a focus on accountability and transparency.
The Young Parliamentarians Forum (YPF) of the National Assembly Nigeria was represented at the recently held Commonwealth Partnership for Democracy (CP4D) Conference on “Inclusive Politics in Practice in the Commonwealth” which took place on the 4th to the 6th of March 2020 in Westminster, London.
