Abstract

Adeleke Justina Olufunke

Violence, as an issue, against the participation of women in politics is a recurring decimal in human politicking. Many societies have employed violence as a way of discouraging women’s participation in politics without condemning it. This is due to the fact that women are perceived not to be a force to reckon with in politics, especially in Nigeria. This paper, therefore, examines the role of violence in the context of politicking and women’s political participation stakeholders, with men, in the political process. Administering 200 structured questionnaires on women and conducting complimentary indepth interviews on another 50 women, the paper shows that all forms of violence in politics make politics an uninteresting human endeavour for women because it is highly discomfiting for women to survive effectively in any violent environment. Also, other socio-economic, cultural, and spousal factors operate to hinder women from participating in politics. It, therefore, concludes that the widespread use of violence in the struggle for political power is detrimental to the realization of citizens’ collective wellbeing and a stable democracy, in Nigeria. It, however, submits that proper legislation with a robust sanction-system should be put in place for sponsors and perpetrators of violence in politics. In addition, there is a pressing need to sustain awareness and value reorientation campaigns about the significance of politics without bitterness in enhancing social harmony. Without strife, more women can confidently participate in politics and, thereby, contribute their quota to national development.