As a Nigerian, I am keenly aware of the incessant women-focused challenges facing the country and how unfortunately this impacts on women’s rights, which is why this year’s theme on International Women’s Day could not be more apt. It calls on our generation of women to come forth to unconditionally support one another. This year’s International Women’s Day celebration is dedicated to all women who have struggled and still continue to struggle to lead and be heard. For a woman to stimulate transformation, the trajectory of her development must encompass many factors that will eventually mold her into who she ultimately becomes. How can a woman, whatever the color of her skin or background, showcase the attributes that have groomed her into what she has become today, without being ‘labeled’? How does she stand straight and tall looking into the eyes of a lost girl-child to make her understand that all the past struggles encountered have paved a way for a saner environment for the girl-child to develop into that kind of woman who will in turn either replicate characteristics like those before her or modify them to suit current situations? In all this, in order to motivate her peers, she will have so much more to prove to her generation.

Taking the case of politics in Nigeria, early on the marginalization of women had been a standard practice in the nation’s political history, bearing in mind it was not until 1976 that women were allowed to vote in Northern Nigeria. Prior to the return to democracy in 1999, the presence of women in politics was mostly limited to the wives of politicians. The activities of some of these women had some positive impact on gender politics in the country, as they resulted in an increase of women participating in political and public life. For many years, women attempting to venture into politics have faced numerous obstacles. Those who aspire for political office often deal with lack of funds to run an effective campaign, a discriminative use of party zoning, low education, cultural and religious barriers, the choice and/or balance between work and family, and the pressure that accompanies positions of leadership. Although the 1999 Constitution (as amended) protects women’s rights and grants them equal participation, the female gender often find that their rights are secondary to prevailing traditional laws. The small presence of women in institutionalized politics is equally apparent in their low participation as party executives, elected officers and political appointees.

Women will still continue to aspire to leadership positions in all spheres of governance both in the public and private sectors. Recently, great strides have been made politically and women’s participation in both the rights struggles and democratic processes of many communities have been notable. However, this participation has not always translated into equal representation in leadership positions. In the case of Nigeria for instance, once elections are conducted and positions assigned, one realizes that women are no longer visible. This highlights the many challenges women still face in taking up leadership positions. However, there is no doubt that there have been success stories, one of which is the efforts women endure to rise above such circumstances and fight for recognition, despite the risks involved of being ‘labeled’ and in some cases breaking family ties.

Again, the perceptions of women in leadership roles is a strategy to alleviate or reduce factors contributing to the marginalization of women in politics. There is an urgency to educate the girl-child with pertinent information on how she can address factors contributing to the current low participation of women in political leadership roles ahead of the 2015 elections. The steady increases in women’s electoral participation show that more women are aware of and becoming more involved in politics.

To stimulate change and become agents of positive transformation, Nigeria needs a full invasion of active women from a bottom-top approach, who will no doubt enrich the democratic process. Remarkably, the Nigerian woman is gradually beginning to recognize this need. Daily we hear and read of what women are trying to achieve or have achieved — it brings with it the optimism that, yes, the Nigerian woman will have her views heard. There is no doubt that Nigerian women have come a long way in challenging the status quo. Women still need to take great measures to be increasingly involved in political activism given their cultural and social backgrounds to voice their concerns. In today’s uncertain political atmosphere, women are becoming more sensitive to political issues as well as gradually overcoming traditional barriers that have hindered them from participating in the past.

We must remember that, women have the numerical strength population-wise to achieve their ambition. As we work towards stirring transformations during the upcoming elections, we wait to see the emergence of female Governors, more female Senators and members of the House of Representatives and other offices both at the federal, state and local levels. Today, we celebrate all the forgotten heroines who have in one way or another impacted positively to our lives.

* Mikang Longjan works for the Open Society of West Africa (OSIWA)

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