The Women Environmental Programme, WEP, says women occupy just 5.6 per cent of seats in Nigeria’s State Houses of Assembly, while persons with disabilities remain largely excluded from political representation.
The organisation made this known at the launch of the 2024 Gender Equality and Social Inclusion, GESI, Performance Leaderboard, assessing all 36 states on inclusive governance.
Founder WEP Priscilla Achakpa says the assessment is designed to promote accountability, encourage reforms and ensure women, young people and persons with disabilities are better represented in governance, ahead of the 2027 elections.
She said the assessment covers leadership and representation, legal frameworks, accessible infrastructure, budgetary allocation, access to justice and open governance.
WEP says the leaderboard is intended not to shame underperforming states, but to provide evidence for reforms, strengthen accountability and ensure no Nigerian is left behind in governance and sustainable development.
Meanwhile, the Federal Ministry of Environment says gender equality and social inclusion are essential to effective climate action, stressing that women and other vulnerable groups must participate in environmental policies and adaptation programmes.
The ministry urged state governments to use the findings to strengthen policies, improve funding and promote inclusive, climate-responsive development.