Rights and challenges of women's participation in politics in Nigeria: Islamic law perspective

bibliographic database
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Periodical article

Title:	Rights and challenges of women's participation in politics in Nigeria: Islamic law perspective
Author:	Hammed, Hanafi A.
Year:	2015
Periodical:	East African Journal of Peace and Human Rights (ISSN 1021-8858)
Volume:	21
Issue:	1
Pages:	158-182
Language:	English
Geographic term:	Nigeria
Subjects:	women's rights women politicians Islam
Abstract:	The misconception among the general public that women should not participate in politics is widespread, also in Nigeria. Politics is said to be the science of governance. It deals with distribution of resources and wealth in a given society. Those who decide how wealth and other resources are distributed among the masses enjoy a certain prestige, authority and power. For unjustifiable reasons, people believe that men have special skills that politics require while women are often excluded from politics and public life in general because of a myopic notion that they lack skills to participate in politics. Politics is said to be too rough a game for women. The thrust of this article is to review women's participation in politics in Nigeria in the pre-colonial and post-colonial eras. The article also examines the position of women in Islam, the role of women in politics from an Islamic perspective and factors affecting women's participation in politics in Nigeria. The article finally recommends some measures on how to ensure effective Muslim women's participation in Nigerian politics. Notes, ref., sum. [Journal abstract, edited]