WOMEN AND POLITICS IN NIGERIA: A CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF THE UNITED NATIONS SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS AND EDO STATE WOMEN AFFIRMATIVE ACTION BETWEEN 2016 AND 2024

5.3  Conclusion

Based on the analysis of respondents' responses using frequency and percentage methods, the following findings were discovered:

1. Implementation of Affirmative Action Policies: Edo State implemented affirmative action policies aimed at increasing women’s political participation to a very high extent between 2016 and 2024.
2. Barriers to Women’s Political Participation: Traditional gender roles, the social stigma associated with women in politics, institutional frameworks and policies, and economic factors (e.g., lack of funding for campaigns) were identified as significant barriers to women’s political participation in Edo State during the 2016–2024 period.
3. Contribution to Gender Equality: The study revealed that effective affirmative action policies and their high implementation extent contributed to Nigeria’s progress toward achieving Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 5 on gender equality. The study also highlighted challenges faced during the implementation of these policies for gender equality in Edo State.
4. Role of Political Parties: Political parties in Edo State actively promoted women’s candidacy for political positions.
5. Socioeconomic Factors: Key socioeconomic factors affecting women’s ability to engage in politics in Edo State during the 2016–2024 period included the level of education attained by women and their economic independence.