Grace John Kenyi, Executive Director of the Centre for Strengthening Community Voice, during a talk show on Thursday, April 16, 2026 - Credit: Darlington Moses/Eye Radio

A civil society activist is calling for the urgent enactment of a formal legal framework to enforce the 35% affirmative action for women, warning that without “punishment” for non-compliance, political parties will continue to treat gender equality as a mere “song” rather than a reality.

During a comprehensive assessment of the political landscape on Thursday, Grace John Kenyi—Executive Director for the Centre for Strengthening Community Voice—highlighted significant progress in mentoring young female leaders.

Speaking during the “Amplifying Voices of Women and Girls” program, she also exposed the “dark underbelly” of the political arena, citing challenges ranging from online harassment to demands for sexual favors.

Through a project funded by the EU and the FACE organisation, Grace’s organization is currently training young women to maneuver the complexities of democratic processes. By bringing in veterans like Hon. Rebecca Joshua Okwaci to share their journeys, the narrative of female participation is beginning to shift.

“We have seen mentored groups joining government institutions, political parties, and the business sector,” Grace noted. “Leadership and participation are not only about politics; we are seeing changes across the board.”

Despite these gains, significant barriers remain. Grace slammed the leadership of certain political parties who claim there are “no competent women” to justify their failure to nominate female candidates.

“They use the 35% as a song, but they don’t implement it practically. Sometimes the women selected for appointment are only those who support the status quo—women who sing the same songs as the men.”

She also cited subnational violence as a physical barrier, noting that many young female politicians cannot travel by land to grassroots communities due to insecurity, effectively silencing their ideas at the local level.

The activist highlighted a disturbing trend of violence against women in leadership, including those in civil society. Grace shared her personal experience with online harassment, where male colleagues use abusive comments to demoralize vocal advocates.

More alarmingly, she revealed the “hidden” challenges faced by young women entering the political arena.”Sometimes young women tell us there is a demand for sexual favors from male politicians. If you want a position in a political party, you are asked to accept a relationship just to be given that role. This is a big challenge.”

Grace is now pushing for a formal policy that carries legal consequences for political parties that fail to meet gender quotas. She argued that the Political Parties Council must demand physical evidence of female representation in party structures before granting registration.

Additionally, she proposed the creation of a “safety net”—an inclusive platform comprising women from both Parliament and civil society to act as a pressure group when female leaders are unfairly removed or mistreated.

“Does the removal of women mean men look at our participation as something temporary?” she asked. “It is time for a framework that guides implementation and ensures check and balance. Whenever a party fails to adhere to the quota, they should be held accountable.”