Democratic governance, gender, and women’s rights in Nigeria: 1999-2019

Abstract

Much of the study on democracy in Africa focuses on the implication of democracy on development, human rights, and security. Few have examined the implication of democracy on women’s rights. To fill the gap, drawing from extant literature and relying on liberal feminist theory, this paper examines the relationship between democracy and women’s rights in Nigeria between 1999, when Nigeria re-introduced civilian rule, after 15 years of military dictatorship and 2019. It is generally believed that democracy promotes human rights and by extension, women’s rights. The paper finds, contrary to popular expectation that democracy does not translate to gender equality in elective and appointive positions across all levels of governance in Nigeria. The study suggests the need for the protection of women’s rights through the recognition of women’s rights as human rights, democratizing party governance structures to be gender representative and strengthening the capacity of democratic institutions in Nigeria. (Afr J Reprod Health 2021; 25[5s]: 188-201).