Project profile — ADVANCE: Women’s Political Participation in Nigeria



Overview 

CA-3-P010719001
$8,000,000
UN Women (41146)
2022-01-24 - 2025-12-31
Operational
Global Affairs Canada
WGM Africa

Country / region 

• Nigeria (100.00%)

Sector 

• Democratic participation and civil society:
Democratic participation and civil society (15150) (65.00%)
Legislatures and political parties (15152) (25.00%)
Ending violence against women and girls (15180) (10.00%)

Policy marker 

• Disaster Risk Reduction(DRR) (not targeted)
• Urban issues (not targeted)
• Participatory development and good governance (principal objective)
• Climate change mitigation (not targeted)
• Trade development (not targeted)
• Climate Change Adaptation (not targeted)
• ICT as a tool for development (not targeted)
• Youth Issues (not targeted)
• Biodiversity (not targeted)
• Indigenous Issues (not targeted)
• Environmental sustainability (cross-cutting) (not targeted)
• Disability (not targeted)
• Gender equality (principal objective)
• Nutrition (not targeted)
• Desertification (not targeted)
• Children's issues (not targeted)

Description 

This project aims to increase women’s participation, election, and appointment in the 2023 electoral cycle and in subsequent years, specifically for young women in Nigeria. The project seeks to achieve this by improving gender-responsive laws and policies, supporting women to engage directly in politics and enhancing coordination among key stakeholders. Project activities include: (1) working with key stakeholders, including legislators and political parties to promote gender-responsive reforms such as gender quotas in national and state level legislatures; (2) building the capacity, leadership skills and networks of women candidates running for political office in 2023; and (3) engaging men champions, traditional leaders and communities to contribute to a more supportive environment for women’s political representation, including by preventing and responding to violence against women in politics. The project aims to directly benefit 235,000 people (of whom 200,750 are women) and indirectly benefit 5 million people (of whom 3.9 million are women) across Nigeria.

Expected results 

The expected outcomes for this project include: (1) an improved gender-responsive legal environment, including through the implementation of gender-responsive policies by political/democratic institutions at state and federal levels in Nigeria; (2) increased women’s participation in political processes and leadership in elective and appointive positions at ward and federal levels in Nigeria; and (3) enhanced coordination between women’s political empowerment partners and key stakeholder groups in project communities to strengthen collaboration and partnerships promoting women’s political leadership.

Results achieved 

Results achieved as of December 2023 include: (1) supported the validation of the draft of the Gender and Equal Opportunity Bill in Kaduna and Kwara States, ensuring women’s equal access to opportunities and rights in political and public life; (2) supported the development of a women's charter of demands addressing the underrepresentation of women in political party structures and governance. This resulted in its adoption by 18 major political parties; (3) provided technical support to 340 women including aspiring women, women candidates, women networks in leadership and advocacy skills; and (4) supported 11 mediator networks to handle Violence Against Women cases.

Budget and spending 


Original budget $1,500,000
Planned disbursement $1,499,125
Transactions
Transaction Date Type Value
06-11-2024 Disbursement $1,499,125
Country percentages by sector
Type of finance Aid grant excluding debt reorganisation
Collaboration type Bilateral
Type of aid Contributions to specific-purpose programmes and funds managed by implementing partners