By Funmi Olasupo

As the 2015 general election draws near, the National Centre for Women Development (NCWD) has called on Nigerian women to collaborate in forming a political association that can support female aspirants win elections.

Speaking in Kaduna at the opening of a three-day capacity building programme on Gender Mainstreaming for the Media in partnership with UNICEF, the Director General, of the center, Lady Onyeka Onwenu stated that the association will also provide financial supports to fund political processes and mobilization.

According to the DG, women holding political positions are often influenced by men in the political parties they recognize with, adding that this is against women right.

She noted that the political aim of the theme is to liberate women from being “wiped out” in her words, especially by silencing or excluding them from public life, hence repressed in the private sphere.

In increasing the temp on the actualization of the 35% Affirmative Action of Women in Governance and Decision Making, she commended efforts of the President, Goodluck Jonathan and First Lady Patience Jonathan at ensuring that women take their place in the scheme of affairs.

Gender and Development Specialist, (UNICEF) Mrs Olasunbo Odebode in her remarks condemned the incessant negative representation of women in the media stressing that this calls for concern.

She said supporting the NCWD to improve capacity building for media practitioners is to ensure that they report women activities from informed perspectives.

She said: “Women holding political positions lies in their hands. Political Parties should know that they are not given them their rights. We should have women political parties but this may be against the law because it is not in the legislation.

“We are looking at women political associations where women can be rallied round in monetary aspects to fund political process because they may not be able to do the funding like men do.

“The monetary aspect is not to bribe people but you can not expect to take market women away from the businesses for nothing, there is need for mobilization. We want more women to be brought in, it must be inclusive, and the sky is large enough for all of us.

“We cannot but appreciate the Transformation Agenda of our gender sensitive President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan in the drive for the optimal promotion and protection of women’s rights, reduction in the prevalence of discrimination against women, increased investments in the girl-child and women’s development issues.”