BY CHARLES KUMOLU

THE Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has said that it would integrate gender issues in all electoral programmes, in order to achieve gender inclusiveness in the 2015 general elections and subsequent polls.

The commission also noted that its newly developed gender policy,  would complement Nigeria’s National Gender Policy.
This was was disclosed, yesterday, in Lagos at a two-day Review of the INEC Draft Gender Policy by a National Commissioner of the commission, Dr. Ishmael Igbani.

His words: ‘’It is our view that INEC’s internal and external activities must reflect the gender composition of the Nigerian society.

“Some of the steps taken by the commission include, the development of the draft INEC gender policy.

“The draft gender policy provides a diagonistic outlook on the situation and context of women in Nigeria as well as responsive approaches and implementation strategies that seek to improve lot of women, particularly in the spheres of political participation.

‘’Inspite of all the charters, protocols, declarations and plans of action, Nigerian women still remain largely marginalised and under-represented in economic and political activities. The INEC gender policy applies to all work and activities throughout the commission, research training, program planning, implementation, monitoring, evaluation, human resources management legal issues, budgeting among others.’’

‘’The policy will achieve and maintain gender balance across the various cadres of personnel within INEC, while mainstreaming gender across the commission’s structure, institutions, policies and practices and ensure INEC policies, guidelines,  curriculum, practices and working modalities are compliant with gender equality principles.’’