In reaction to the theme of this year’s International women’s day celebration, “Balance for Better”, Ondo state women have called for gender equity in politics and governance.

Some of the women who spoke with Justambitioustoserveinfo.com decried the low indices of women in the legislative arm in the state considering the outcome of the just concluded National Assembly election where no woman was elected.

They lamented the partriachy that dominates the political system in Nigeria which is the major factor for the low representation of women in politics and governance.

On her part, a Senatorial Candidate under the platform of Zenith Labour Party representing the Northern district of the State, Chief Mrs Olasinmi Akindele-Odunmbaku attributed the low representation of women in politics to the high cost of nomination form.

Her words: “Politics can be very demanding, and women often are not able to meet up with it.

“Women need education, awareness, motivation, and unity of purpose is very important.

” when we have more women involved, we can take better decision on matters relating to us. We need that gender balance and the 50/50 sort of things that allow equal representation”.

Also speaking, the Executive Director of Gender Equality and Girl Child development Foundation, Mrs. Yinka Odedele called on the political leadership to create a conducive environment for women to be elected.

According to her, “there is no society that can survive without the participation of the women folks, so it should be an all round involvement.

“we should be given our participatory role and be included. We should have the inclusive opportunity to work along with them”.

A gubernatorial candidate in the state under the platform of Democratic People’s Party DPP in 2015, Mrs Olamide Falana said it is unfortunate that Ondo women has no representation in the National Assembly.

She attributed this setback to a society where its political leadership does not see gender as part of political negotiation.

“There are countries in the world that have achieved gender equity, these are countries that insisted on inclusion. Look at Rwanda, Ethiopia, these are African countries just like us.

“Their leaders have decided to include everybody and when you have every member of the society who are involved, and feel connected, that Society will definitely developed in a high rate.

“The theme of the international women’s day is Balanceforbetter, so, in a society when you have a segment that is being cut off from leadership and partipation, we can never have a balance in that society, women should not be discouraged, they must continue to advocate, to insist on their right to inclusion, right to leadership, and governance”, she said.