Voices of Change: Civic Education Series Graduation Ceremony
Good morning to all the distinguished guests, the organizers, and especially the remarkable young women gathered here. It is both an honour and a responsibility to stand here today, to address a subject not only of academic importance, but of civic urgency: the role of young women in democratic leadership and civic participation.
As a leader myself, I recognize the space we occupy and the voices we can amplify. Today, I invite you to see beyond the podium and into the future we are building—together.
In Nigeria, women — especially young women — are still largely underrepresented in decision-making spaces. According to recent data, women hold less than 5% of elective positions in Nigeria. Among youth, it’s even worse. Yet, history and present realities continue to prove that when young women participate, communities grow stronger, policies become more inclusive, and democracies thrive.
Why Young Women Matter in This Conversation:
Young women sit at the intersection of energy, innovation, and resilience. We are not just the future — we are the now. And when we are involved in civic processes, we bring: New perspectives, bold ideas, and the courage to challenge systems that no longer serve us. Let’s be clear: young women are already leading, but here are key roles we must continue to play and amplify:
1. Awareness Creators:
Young women are using digital platforms to educate peers on governance, elections, and policies that affect their lives.
2. Advocates for Justice:
Whether through protests, petitions, or school campaigns, young women champion issues like education access, gender equality, and ending gender-based violence.
3. Policy Influencers:
We are not just following conversations — we’re shaping them. From the Special Seats Bill to campus policies, young women are changing narratives.
4. Role Models:
Every young woman who takes up leadership inspires ten more to believe they can. Representation sparks possibility.
5. Community Mobilizers:
From student unions to NGOs, young women are organizing events, rallies, and voter education initiatives.
6. Defenders of Democracy:
In a time of misinformation and apathy, young women serve as watchdogs — holding leaders accountable and demanding transparency.
Examples from Nigeria and Beyond: Current Realities
Nigerian SUGs and Female Representation
The number of Student Union Governments (SUGs) in Nigerian tertiary institutions is over 770, roughly equaling the total number of legally approved universities, polytechnics, monotechnics and colleges of education. This number is constantly increasing due to new institutional licensing.
Female Representation in SUG Leadership:
Female representation is significant but disproportionately low in the most powerful roles
Vice President: The position is often informally reserved for a woman (“gender balancing”), meaning there have been hundreds, if not thousands, of female Vice Presidents over the years.
President: The number of women elected as SUG President is much smaller (likely in the low hundreds), as the role is largely male-dominated. A woman’s election is often a historic event for that institution.
Notable Female SUG Presidents (Examples)
The election of a female SUG President is a major milestone for gender parity, highlighted by these examples:
Institution UNICAL Name Blessing Alims Year 2024 Historical Note First ever female SUG president (49_years history)
Institution UNIBEN Name Chineloma Eleodimuo Year 2010 Historical Note Believed to be the first ever female SUG President.
Institution UDUS Name Amina Yahaya Year 2016 Historical Note First female SUG President (assumed role after impeachment).
Institution FUNAAB Name Adeola Ahmed Year 2019 Historical Note First ever female SUG President (31-year history).
Note: Historically prominent institutions like the University of Ibadan (UI) have not yet elected a female SUG President.
SUG Positions and Gender Roles
Total Positions: Typically 8 to 12 Executive Council roles (e.g., President, VP, Gen. Sec., P.R.O., Welfare etc).
Reserved Female Roles:
• Vice President (VP): The most common position informally reserved for a woman across many institutions for gender balancing.
• Treasurer / Financial Secretary: Sometimes formally or informally reserved for a female student in some schools.
• Director of Welfare: Often contested and won by women due to traditional perceptions of the role.
• Note: There is no uniform national rule; gender balancing is determined by the specific institution’s constitution.
How many young women are currently in this administration even if it’s as SAs or SSAs?
Young Women in President Tinubu’s Administration- The exact, real-time number of Special Assistants (SAs) and Senior Special Assistants (SSAs) is not publicly tracked, but the total number of young women serving in these roles is estimated to be in the dozens across the Presidency, Ministries, and Departments. The administration (under President Bola Tinubu) has notable young female professionals in key advisory roles, including:
Name Rinsola Abiola Position SSA Focus Area Citizenship and Leadership
Name Dr. Adanna Steinacker Position SSAFocus Area Women’s Health
Name Zainab Yunusa Position SSA Focus Area National Economic Council (NEC)
Name Engr. Fatima Abubakar-Faruk Position SA Focus Area Women Affairs
Regional Engagement Aides: SSA Community Engagement (e.g., Moremi Ojudu, Chioma
Nweze, Gift Johnbull)
The inclusion of these young women highlights the administration’s intent to incorporate younger professionals across various strategic policy and community engagement areas.
Kebbi Crisis and the Mandate for Change
The abduction of approximately 25 schoolgirls from Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School in Maga, Kebbi State, on November 17, 2025, is a tragic failure of security, driven primarily by kidnapping for ransom by armed bandits. This event profoundly threatens girl-child education in Nigeria. The crisis turns fear into a mandate for leadership and civic participation. Becoming a change-making woman requires a three-part path:
Restoration and Healing (Internal Change): Focus on Trauma-Informed Healing and Building Resilience. Protecting your right to Education becomes a revolutionary act, as “A girl with a degree is a change-maker.”
Advocacy and Policy (Systemic Change): Use your voice to Demand Safe Schools (better infrastructure, guards, Early Warning Systems) and Hold Leaders Accountable for rescue and prosecution. Support grassroots organizations like UNICEF and Plan International.
Building the Network (Collective Change): Engage in Mentorship and leverage Digital Tools and Solidarity Beyond Borders to keep the spotlight on the victims and amplify the movement for female safety.
The insecurity faced is not a barrier to leadership, but the catalyst for it.
Sexual Harassment and Civic Participation
Sexual harassment severely limits women’s ability to engage in civic life and leadership by creating systemic barriers and causing psychological harm.
Impact Category/Effect on Civic ParticipationDirect Exclusion Harassment (especially online abuse and physical threats) is used to intimidate and silence women who speak out or run for office, leading to a high attrition rate in political roles.
Undermining Authority The focus shifts from a woman’s policies and competence to her body or rumors, effectively delegitimizing her authority and diverting attention from her civic agenda.
Psychological Deterrent Trauma and fear deplete the mental and emotional resources required for activism, eroding confidence and making the “cost” of leadership too high.
Sexual harassment breaks the civic promise of safety, making the fight against it a core act of civic participation necessary to ensure democracy is accessible to all women.
How do the National Gender policy, SDG Goal 8, and the Mo Ibrahim Index support or promote women’s leadership and inclusion in decision-making space?
The National Gender Policy (NGP), SDG Goal 8, and the Mo Ibrahim Index (IIAG) collectively promote women’s leadership and inclusion by addressing the political, economic, and governance barriers they face.
Support for Women’s Leadership and Inclusion
🇳🇬 National Gender Policy (NGP) Policy & Mainstreaming: Seeks to bridge gender gaps and actively enhance women’s participation in leadership and governance at all levels. It also focuses on Economic Empowerment and combating VAWG.
🌐 SDG Goal 8: Decent Work, Economic Growth & Rights, and Economic Foundation: Targets 8.5 and 8.8 demand full, productive employment, equal pay for equal value, and safe, secure working environments for all women. Economic stability is key to political voice.
📈 Mo Ibrahim Index (IIAG) Governance & Accountability, Measurement & Pressure: The “Women’s Equality” sub-category measures women’s presence in parliament and cabinet (Political Power and Representation) and their socioeconomic rights. It creates accountability by tracking African countries’ performance.
In short, the NGP sets the domestic political goal, SDG 8 builds the economic foundation, and the IIAG provides the governance benchmark for achieving women’s leadership.
The Feminist Coalition during #EndSARS showed how young women could organize, raise funds, and coordinate national action — with professionalism and integrity.
In Kenya, young women-led organizations like Policy are using data to drive civic innovation and gender-inclusive governance.
Right here on our campuses, female student leaders are initiating voter education campaigns, safety initiatives, and mentorship programs.
What Can We Do From Here?Build our Capacity
Take civic education seriously. Know your rights. Understand the constitution. Study public policy.
Global and Pan‑African Context
Globally, women today comprise approximately 26.9% of parliamentary seats in 2023, a modest increase but still far from parity. In Africa, while some countries lead with strong representation—Rwanda sits above 60% women in parliament—others fall behind. Nigeria, for example, currently has only about 4.3% of parliamentary seats held by women, one of the lowest on the continent. According to a recent report from the National Bureau of Statistics, women constitute about 6.7% of elective and appointive positions in Nigeria, compared to a global average of 22.5% and an African regional average of 23.4%. These figures show that this is not just a local or national challenge—but a structural, systemic one.
Why Young Women Matter in Civic Participation
As young women, we are no longer waiting to be invited into leadership—we are preparing, showing up, and taking our place. Civic participation is not just a responsibility; it is a right and a powerful tool for shaping the future we want to see. Young women bring fresh perspectives, inclusive ideas and transformational leadership traits. They are critical agents for change: Democracy is incomplete when half of the population remains under‑represented. When women in leadership increase, governance improves: data shows better policy outcomes in health, education and social welfare.
Young women understand tomorrow’s challenges: technology, climate change, youth unemployment—and their participation ensures those issues are addressed. From student leadership to national policymaking, every role we step into contributes to a bigger picture—one where equity, inclusion, and progress go hand in hand. The path may not always be easy, especially in environments where gender bias still exists. But with awareness, collaboration, mentorship, and persistence, young women can—and must—continue to rise.
Key Barriers and Current Issues
Despite the potential, young women face significant barriers:
1. Structural Exclusion & QuotasIn many countries, including Nigeria, political parties and systems do not provide realistic pathways for women’s leadership. Eg: Nigeria’s ranking among the lowest globally in women’s parliamentary representation.
2. Cultural and Social Norms
Patriarchy persists. Studies reveal deep‑rooted cultural beliefs that restrict women from political roles.
3. Economic and Campaign Barriers
Running for office often requires resources, support networks, and time—resources disproportionately inaccessible to women.
4. Violence, Harassment, and Governance Risks
Women in leadership face unique risks: sexual harassment, political exclusion, lack of mentorship. For example, several high‑profile cases in Nigeria highlight the intersection of gender, politics and violence.
5. Limited Awareness and Civic Education
Many young women are not aware of their civic rights or of mechanisms to engage meaningfully in politics or governance.
Success Stories & Comparative Models – Let’s look beyond our borders:
Rwanda: More than 60% of parliamentarians are women. Through constitutional quotas and party commitment Rwanda has built inclusive governance. Namibia: Utilises a “zebra system” (alternating gender representation) in political lists—resulting in over 40% women in cabinet and senior posts. [8]
These examples prove that change is not only possible—but replicable.
What Young Women Can Do: Actionable Steps
For fellow student women and young leaders here today, the path ahead is clear:
• Engage early and often: Join student unions, community boards, advocacy groups. Civic participation starts now.
• Educate yourself and others: Understand laws, rights, and policies. Know the current challenges like the “Special Seats Bill” that seek to address representation.
• Build networks and alliances: Sisterhood matters. Mentor and be mentored. Amplify each other’s voices.
• Stand boldly: Speak up in meetings, forums and public discussions. Visibility changes narratives.• Support institutional change: Advocate for quotas, supportive policies, safe political environments, and mentorship programs.
• Lead with values: Leadership is more than titles—it’s service, integrity, and purpose.
Solutions for Institutions and Systems–Beyond the individual, systems must also adapt:
Implement Temporary Special Measures: For example, the Special Seats Bill that allocates a fixed number of seats for women could bridge the gap.
Political party reform: Parties must adopt gender‑balanced candidacy lists and support women candidates actively.
Capacity building and support: Training programs for young women in leadership, campaign skills, and public policy.
Safe political climate: Legal frameworks that protect women from violence, harassment and intimidation in political spaces.
Continuous data collection and transparency: We must track progress with reliable data to hold institutions accountable.
Closing
Today’s gathering is not only a celebration of achievement—it is a call to arms. To every young woman in this room: Your voice matters, your seat matters, your future matters— and that future is being built with your hands, your courage, and your vision. Let us cast aside the notion that leadership is only for a few. Let us step into the narrative. Let us be both the authors and the protagonists of our story.
Together, we will transform civic participation. Together, we will redefine leadership. Together, we will claim our seats—and make our voices echo beyond these walls. Let’s keep building systems that support us. Let’s keep holding doors open for others. And most importantly, let’s never underestimate the power of our voices, our votes, and our visions. Because when young women lead, nations grow.
Co-developed by Añuli Aniebo and mentee, Rosa MaryJane Nweke (SUG VP Oko Polytechnic, Deputy Chair National Association for Female Students)