The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Tuesday commemorated the 2026 International Women’s Day, highlighting its commitment to gender inclusion and reporting that women currently occupy 43 per cent of directorate positions within the commission.
Speaking at the event held at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja, the INEC Chairman, Joash Amupitan, emphasised that promoting women into leadership roles was not merely symbolic but essential to strengthening democratic institutions.
He noted that the theme, “Give to Gain,” underscored the belief that organisations achieve better outcomes when they create equal opportunities for women to lead.
INEC disclosed that it had made notable progress in improving gender balance across its leadership structure.
Presenting a paper titled “The Journey So Far,” the Secretary to the Commission, Rose Oriarian-Anthony, outlined the commission’s current gender representation.
According to her, women now hold 10 of the 23 directorate positions, representing more than 43 per cent of the commission’s directors.
At the national leadership level, the commission currently has two female National Commissioners and a female Secretary to the Commission.
She also revealed that six women serve as Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) across various states, while between eight and 15 female Administrative Secretaries oversee key administrative functions.
At the grassroots level, 218 out of the 774 Electoral Officers nationwide are women, reflecting increasing female participation in electoral administration.
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Oriarian-Anthony noted that women had consistently played significant leadership roles within the commission.
“It is not a coincidence that the longest-serving National Commissioner is a woman and that the last two successive Secretaries to the Commission are women,” she said.
Despite these internal gains, Amupitan expressed concern about the challenges female politicians continue to face in the broader political space.
With the 2027 electoral cycle approaching, he warned of the growing trend of gender-based disinformation and digital harassment targeting female aspirants.
The INEC chairman stressed that the electoral process must remain a platform for constructive political engagement rather than gender-driven attacks, adding that the commission would intensify scrutiny of political party primaries to ensure women are not unfairly excluded.
The commission also highlighted several institutional reforms aimed at sustaining gender inclusion within the electoral body.
These include the establishment of a Gender and Inclusivity Department in 2021 and the appointment of Hadiza Abubakar Talba as Special Assistant on Gender and Inclusivity.
The Chairman of the Organising Planning Committee, Abdu Zuru, described women within the commission as individuals who had demonstrated competence, professionalism and integrity in leadership.
He said the “Give to Gain” theme reflected the reality that expanding opportunities for women had improved organisational productivity and strengthened stakeholder confidence in the commission.
The event concluded with a vote of thanks by the Director of the Gender and Inclusivity Department, Dorathy Bello, who urged the commission to remain committed to achieving the 35 per cent affirmative action target across all levels of electoral governance.
