UN Women urges Nigerians to reject gender bias in 2027 elections

UN Women Nigeria has launched a campaign urging Nigerians to reject gender discrimination and assess candidates on their competence, integrity and experience in the 2027 general elections.

The campaign, tagged #VoteHer2027, seeks to address the under-representation of women in elective positions and encourage voters to judge candidates by their records and plans rather than their gender.

UN Women said women account for only 9.7 per cent of candidates for the 2027 elections, warning that even if all female candidates win, their representation would remain far below equal participation.

It said women, who constitute nearly half of Nigeria’s population, should have equal opportunities to participate in political leadership and decision-making.

“Women should not be elected simply because they are women, but neither should they be rejected because of their gender,” UN Women said in a statement on Wednesday.

It noted that Nigeria’s commitments under the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), the Maputo Protocol and the Beijing Platform for Action support women’s equal participation in governance.

A major component of the campaign is “NO BE BY GENDER,” an issue-based radio drama and expert call-in programme on Radio Nigeria Network.

The programme will examine stereotypes and socio-cultural barriers discouraging support for women in leadership, while encouraging voters to assess candidates based on their ideas and capacity to serve.

UN Women said it would also work with media partners, gender advocates and social media influencers to challenge discriminatory narratives and promote fair coverage of female candidates.

It called on political and traditional leaders, civil society organisations and citizens to support unbiased voting in the 2027 elections.