1.1 Introduction
Political participation of women has increased significantly, particularly in terms of voting. It is even practicing in many of the western industrialized democracies (Currell 2005, Burns 2007, Paxton et al. 2007, Coffe & Bolzendahl 2010, Bericat & Sánchez Bermejo 2016). Women’s political participation has been shown to be particularly influential to women in their communities. Factors such as female voter turnout, female political participation, and public service responsiveness towards women have a positive relationship with the presence of women in decision-making positions across the public and private sectors (Burns, Schlozman and Verba, 2001). One of the popular explanations of gender gaps in political participation is the desire to participate in politics (Burns et al. 2001).
As a prelude to other parts of this study, this chapter will discuss the background upon which this study was initiated, the statement of problems that led to this study, the Aim and Objectives of the study. Others are Significance of the study, Scope of work, Research hypothesis and questions, Limitations of the Study and Definition of technical terms.
1.2 Background of Study
Women’s leadership in political spheres is shown to be socially beneficial (World Economic Forum, 2017), and is a matter of women’s right to equal opportunity and access. Additionally, women’s political participation has been shown to be particularly influential to women in their communities. Factors such as female voter turnout, female political participation, and public service responsiveness towards women have a positive relationship with the presence of women in decision-making positions across the public and private sectors (Burns, Schlozman and Verba, 2001). It also predisposes the interest, efficacy, knowledge and political partisanship (Beauregard 2014).
The fate of the Nigeria women for the past 45 years cannot be described as the best but it can be said to be much better than what is obtainable in some third world countries. It is of a believe that women are sex symbols whose paramount place is either in the kitchen or in their husband’s bed, the Nigeria women have blossomed into what can comfortably be described as independent for over forty five (45) years after Nigeria’s independent. Women accepted whatever attitude, belief, biases and treatment meted out to them until recently when Nigeria women have gradually become more aware of this right and places in society. To the average Nigeria man, any woman who knows her political rights and asks is quickly regarded as “Tomboyish” and quickly labeled “woman rebel” during the colonial era, much was not heard of woman in Nigeria political except few occasion when they stood their ground to protest one incident or another.
In African women had made history in politics often times, it is associated with violence and military incursion for example, in 1929 over 10,000 ib,bio and Igbo women reacted over taxation rumour which resulted into the killing of about 26 of them. In 1973, the agitation from the Northern Nigeria women brought about formation of Northern People Congress (NPC) and Northern Elements of Progressive Union (NEPU).
The world body recognizes that women need a sort of special support in view of the fact that they are often discriminated against in many part of the world even the so-called civilized world. The above statement had established that fact that all over the world women are discriminated against and need special training, support and encouragement to attain political heights like their male counterparts.
Political participation, as one of the tenets of democracy, is found to be liberal and unrestrictive. Subscribing to this, Okolie (2004:53) perceives political participation as freedom of expression, association, right to free flow of communication, right to influence decision process and the right to social justice, health services, better working condition and opportunity for franchise.
The factors militating against active women participation in Nigerian politics observation and empirical evidence point to and reveal that a number of factors have facilitated or contributed to the second fiddle role women are playing in political activities in Nigeria. Some of these factors are identified as a function of natural status of women, while others are man-made deliberately designed by their male counterparts to further confine women to sedentary activities.
Therefore, in Nigeria where the research was carried out, the activities that was conducted is to know the Implication of Women Participation in Politics.
1.3 Statement of Problems
Investigation revealed that a close observation of the degree of political participation and training of women in Nigeria tend to reveal that women have not been actively involved in the process of sharpening the political system. This disparity between women and non political participation has been a subject of controversy and debates among scholars, politicians, analysts and stakeholder in Nigeria.
Significantly women apathy and alienation politics has been attributed to some factors such as colonial system of economic and political exclusion of women in the control and management of state, the post colonial system of exclusion, the religions cultural enslavement of women, the contemporary economic deprivation, the educational disempowerment and social discrimination.
1.4 Aim and Objectives of Study
The aim of the study is to examine the Implication of Women Participation in Politics. In achieving this aim, the following specific objectives were laid out as follows:
- To determine if women are actively involved in the politics and so what impact they have created;
- To find out the strategies to be adopted in order to ensure active participation of women in the politics;
- To examine the consequences of political participation of women in the area under study; and
- To investigate if there exists colonial and post-colonial system of social discrimination against women in the politics of Abia State.
1.5 Research Questions
The study came up with research questions so as to be able to ascertain the above stated objectives. The specific research questions for the study are stated below as follows:
- Are women actively involved in the politics?
- Does colonial and post-colonial system of social discrimination exists against women in the politics of Abai State?
- What are the consequences of political participation of women in the area under study?
- What are the strategies to be adopted in order to ensure active participation of women in the politics?
1.6 Research Hypothesis
In order to pursue the objective of this study, the following generalized statements have been designed to guide and aids in obtaining the result for the experiment to be conducted. For this work, the null hypothesis will be represented with H0 while the alternative hypothesis will be represented with hypothesis H1.
Hypothesis One
- H0: There are no significant consequences of political participation of women in the area under study
- H1: There are significant consequences of political participation of women in the area under study
Hypothesis Two
- H0: There are no significant factors militating against active women participation in Nigeria politics
- H1: There are significant factors militating against active women participation in Nigeria politics
1.7 Significance of Study
The relevance of this study shall unveil in the political activities of Nigeria and Abia State in particularly from the sector, it shall assess the fundamental factors, responsible for low training of women in the politics of Abia State and Nigeria in general. Going by this trend, the study shall also provide both women and often political stakeholders there required information necessary for addressing the problems of low training of women in participation of the political of Nigeria and Abia State.
Theoretically, there has been for a general work on Nigeria women especially in the sphere of politics. This will give an overview of the subject, incorporate and synthesize the various views of women and their effort to emancipate themselves from the social, economic, cultural and political subjugation which they find themselves. This work will contribute a lot in this aspect.
This study will be of immense benefit to other researchers who intend to know more on this study and can also be used by non-researchers to build more on their research work. This study contributes to knowledge and could serve as a guide for other study.
1.8 Scope of Study
The scope of the research is focused on the Implication of Political Participation of Women in Abia State, Nigeria.
1.9 Limitations of the Study
During the course of this study, many things militated against its completion, some of which are:
- Time Constraint: The time frame given to accomplish this project was very short due to school academic calendar and it was carried out under pressure which made the researcher not to implement some necessary features.
- Research material: availability of research material is a major setback to the scope of the study.
- Frequent power failure: This made the researcher append more money on fuel to ensure sustainable power.
- Financial Constraint: Insufficient fund tends to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature or information and in the process of data collection (internet, questionnaire and interview).
1.10 Definition of Terms
Women Liberation: Women liberation emerged with these struggles for rights and objective, it is said to constitute what is of women’s concern and what is not, because people use the word freely.
Alienation: This concept of alienation is defined as the state of being withdrawn or isolated. It could be denying of one’s right.
Apathy: can be defined as lack of interest in or concern for things that others find moving or exciting especially in the political systems of a society.
Culture: Culture is defined as people’s way of life, which includes their mode of dressing, cooking, dancing, eating, greeting, language etc. It is a particular from or stage of civilization as that of a certain nation or period.
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