URBAN POOR WOMEN AND GOVERNANCE IN NIGERIA

Abstract

Currently, urbanization has increased at an alarming rate in Nigeria. This situation has created so many urban poor women who are living on the margin of the society. Due to the hegemonic patriarchal cultural values and practices, women are deprived of access to land, credit, inheritance and other means through which they can be gainfully employed. Many of these women migrate to cities to become prostitutes, petty traders, messengers and cleaners in companies and with this, they automatically become urban poor women living in slums and even on the streets with their children. By virtue of where they live and who they are, government provision of social amenities do not reach them. In fact, any time this group feel the impact of government policies and decisions, it is usually in form of demolition of their houses and shops; their means of livelihood. Also due to these patriarchal practices, most women do not have the required educational qualification to enable them participate fully in urban life and to lift them out of poverty and all these mingle together to deprive women of the opportunity to participate in politics and urban decision making.This paper reviews how poverty, educational attainment interlock with cultural values and practices to deny women of participation in urban governance in Nigeria. Previous studies on urban poor women and governance were examined which formed a pattern in the body of knowledge on women and governance in Nigeria.The indications were that in Nigeria, women do not participate in urban governance as a result of low educational attainment, poverty and hegemonic cultural practices. The problem of women’s powerlessness was indicated throughout Nigeria and this affects women in everything they do and in their life chances as individuals and collectively. The conclusion is that inability to participate in urban governance has made impossible for issues concerning women to be addressed such as social amenities like water, sanitation, and so on. Instead of addressing the problems faced by this group, urban governance has directed urban expenditure to providing amenities for the rich. The major issue here is that this situation does not just end with this women, it extends to their generations and the vicious circle continues which has serious implications for participation in governance in the future. It therefore becomes pertinent that women’s poverty and low educational attainment should be addressed in order to make it easier for women to participate in governance. It is only when this is done that Nigeria can be said to be marching towards achieving sustainable development.