Bukola Afeni
The Initiative for Research, Innovation and Advocacy in Development (IRIAD) and The Electoral Hub have called for urgent action to address violence against women in politics, warning that the trend threatens Nigeria’s democratic development ahead of the 2027 General Elections.
This was disclosed in a statement signed by Princess Hamman-Obels, Director of IRIAD-The Electoral Hub, to mark the 10 Days of Activism Against Violence Against Women in Politics (VAWP), observed from June 3 to 12, 2026.
The organisations stressed that “No democracy can thrive when half of its population is silenced, intimidated, threatened, or excluded from political participation.”
The statement, themed “Safe Voices, Strong Democracy,” noted that women aspiring to political leadership continue to face structural barriers, intimidation, harassment and exclusion from political processes.
According to the organisations, many female aspirants experienced structural violence during the recently concluded political parties’ primaries, while the failure to pass the Special Seats Bill for Women has further widened the gap in efforts to address women’s underrepresentation in politics.
They also expressed concern over reports of women being pressured to step down for male contenders, describing the practice as a threat to internal party democracy and equal political participation.
The statement highlighted threats to life, physical assaults, harassment at campaign events, destruction of campaign materials, blackmail, humiliation and character assassination as some of the challenges confronting women in politics.
It further identified online harassment, cyberbullying, cyberstalking, hate speech, misinformation and disinformation campaigns as growing forms of violence targeting female politicians and aspirants.
“These acts of physical, psychological, and digital violence are not isolated incidents. They are part of a broader pattern of gender-based political violence that seeks to exclude women from decision-making spaces and maintain existing inequalities in political representation,” the statement said.
The organisations urged political parties to enforce zero-tolerance policies against violence, harassment and hate speech, while calling on the government to expedite the passage of the Special Seats Bill for Women and strengthen measures against political violence.
They also called on security agencies to investigate all reported cases of violence against women in politics and ensure perpetrators are brought to justice, regardless of their political affiliations.
IRIAD and The Electoral Hub appealed to civil society organisations, political contestants and citizens to support efforts aimed at creating a safe and inclusive political environment for women.
