The Gender Agenda: Bargaining with Political Parties in Osun State, Nigeria

The objectives of the research are twofold: first to understand processes of social, economic and political exclusions of women in Osun state from politics, and the relevance of these processes for engagements of women with different backgrounds in political parties and electoral processes; second to create space for debate, engagement and support of women in political parties who wish to run for local government posts, with local NGOs, women groups and political parties for 2011 election. The focus of the research is threefold: first on gendered exclusions of women from electoral processes and political parties in Osun state due to male domination; second on the social and economic differences (dominations) among women who engage in these electoral processes and third, on relevance of these differences in creating strategies for supporting women’s political participation in electoral party processes. In order to analyze these processes a combination of intersectional gender analysis with feminist conceptualization of empowerment and feminist contribution to Sen’s bargaining model, adjusted to the context of political parties were used (rather than household bargaining). Looking at governance in Osun state women are still far behind, and the state may not be able to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (Goal #3 to promote gender equality and empower women ), if proactive action is not taken. ‘There are no short cuts to increased gender equality except real influence over party agendas and policy formulation’ (Salih and Nordlund 2007: 129). Therefore Women have to bargain their entry into and claim of public space, by using whatever discursive and material opportunities available in the political parties, and by fighting patriarchal institutions and ideologies that restrict their participation. However addressing under representation of women in party and electoral politics should include not only increasing the number of women in formal political power because this does not in itself translate to greater empowerment for women (Kabeer 1992, 1994). Rather attention should be paid on measures to improve the quality of participation and ways to achieve qualitatively women’s empowerment in political parties and electoral systems. This will involve recognition of power relations among women as well as between women and men, by locating the structures and actors of exclusion, identifying areas of interaction and levels of intervention, and taking concrete steps for inclusion to be taken simultaneously at all levels. Thus the under representation of women at local political positions has to be analyzed in the context of intersections of political, social and economic empowerment of women. Relevance to Development Studies Politics determines the allocation of all resources in the society and that women’s alienation from politics means that their special interest will continue to be neglected (Mba 1982: 304). The power to make political decisions go hand in hand with the power to decide on how public funds are used. Women therefore have the responsibility to challenge their political exclusion leading to their under representation in party and electoral politics. So as to have a say on the policies that affects them. These will in-turn ensure that democracy and governance is inclusive, sustainable and transparent.