The Swiss Government has expressed concern over the continued marginalisation of Nigerian women in leadership and governance, despite their making up nearly half of the country’s population.
Speaking at a roundtable on “Promoting Effective Participation of Women in Governance and Combating Gender-Based Violence” on Thursday in Abuja, the Deputy Ambassador of Switzerland to Nigeria, Mr. Siamak Rouhani, lamented that Nigeria currently has only seven female ministers out of a 48-member federal cabinet. The event was organised by the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Foundation.
Rouhani said the three-year initiative reflects a shared commitment to advancing gender equality, strengthening democratic governance, and protecting human dignity. He described the gathering as a moment of reflection and renewed commitment to addressing persistent gender disparities in governance and society.
“Over the past three years, this project has worked across sectors and states to tackle two deeply interconnected challenges: the underrepresentation of women in governance and the pervasive scourge of gender-based violence,” he stated.
Citing the 2025 Global Gender Gap Report by the World Economic Forum, Rouhani noted that Nigeria ranks 124th out of 148 countries overall, and 143rd in women’s political empowerment with a score of 0.036—the lowest in five years. He said women currently occupy only 4 out of 109 Senate seats and 16 out of 360 seats in the House of Representatives, representing just 4.3 percent of parliamentary positions—well below the Sub-Saharan African average of 27 percent.
He expressed concern that despite constitutional guarantees and international commitments, including the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) and Nigeria’s 35 percent affirmative action policy for women in governance, implementation remains poor.
“These realities are sobering,” he said. “Gender inequality is not only a social injustice—it is a barrier to peace, prosperity, and progress. The inclusion of women in governance is not a favour; it is a necessity.”
Rouhani also decried the persistence of gender-based violence, noting that thousands of cases are reported annually to the National Human Rights Commission, while many more go unreported due to stigma and systemic failures. “These are not just statistics—they represent lives disrupted, dreams deferred, and communities wounded,” he added.
He reaffirmed Switzerland’s commitment to promoting human rights, inclusive governance, and women’s empowerment as key pillars of sustainable development and democratic resilience.
Also speaking, the Director of Programme and Administration at the Yar’Adua Foundation, Mrs. Vivian Emehelu, said the project had successfully built capacity among government officials, traditional rulers, and law enforcement agencies to drive inclusion and accountability. She noted that women have been empowered as leaders in governance, peacebuilding, and the fight against gender-based violence.
The Foundation’s Director-General, Mr. Amara Nwankpa, added that the exclusion of women from political spaces is by design, stressing the need for deliberate action to dismantle systemic barriers.
“While our challenges may seem entrenched, change is possible,” Nwankpa said. “We’ve seen progress, such as the election of a female local government chairman in Kano. Advocacy for women’s representation is about sharing power and recognising their vital role in nation-building.”
