The Federal Polytechnic, Ede, Osun State, has secured a grant to deepen women's participation in politics and democratic governance, as well as to end discriminatory tendencies against women, through a project titled: IMPACT OF CITIZENSHIP LAWS, PRACTICES AND POLICIES ON WOMEN’S RIGHT TO PARTICIPATE IN POLITICS AND GOVERNANCE IN OYO and Osun States.

The project is being sponsored by National Women Trust Fund and Ford Foundation, with a Chief Lecturer and Director of Legal Services of the institution, Dr. Mrs Jade Mohammed as the Principal Researcher and Coordinator of the project.

Enunciating the scope of the project and it's inherent social impacts, at the end of a workshop held in Osogbo in March, Mrs Mohammed explained that the concept of 'Citizenship' encompasses a sense of solidarity beyond difference in either ethnicity or religion.

She, however, asserted discriminatory citizenship / indigeneship triggers the feeling of alienation from a community, weakens social cohesion and promotes tension.

According to her,'' Discriminatory Citizenship/Indigeneship is a major bane of women's participation in politics. Existing works on women’s political participation have focused on education disadvantage, job stereotyping, unemployment, cultural stereotype,
and political perception in Nigeria.

"Obviously, less attention has been given to discriminatory citizenship laws, policies and practices affecting women’ s participation in politics and governance in Nigeria. There is thus the urgent need to break all barriers militating against women's participation in politics and governance, including discriminatory Citizenship/ Indigeneship practices in order to attain SDG 5".

Recall that a maiden workshop with critical stakeholders was held on March 24th, 2022 at GMT Hotel and Event Centre ,Osogbo, where participants unanimously agreed that the prevalence of discriminatory citizenship/indigeneship against women remains violence against women.

There was an eloquent call at the workshop to stop Discriminatory Citizenship/ Indigeneship and other forms of discrimination against Women and to also strengthen women Voices and participation in current democratic dispensation, changing the mindset and removing all barriers hindering nomination of women for elective and appointive positions is also being advocated.

Meanwhile, women politicians at the workshop noted that a new barrier is created each day to exclude women from governance,with Political Parties demanding for PhD,MSc. certificates as part of the conditions for nomination of women into positions.

According to them, this is an antithesis of Gender Inclusion in all ramifications and violence against women.

The project is a component of National Women Trust Fund Project for Strengthening Women Voices ,Institutions, Rights and Ending Violence against Women.