GENDER INEQUALITY AND WOMEN PARTICIPATION IN POLITICS (A STUDY OF OWERRI WEST L.G.A IMO STATE)

Poor participation of women in politics and governance has been a major concern at global level. In Nigeria, women participation in politics is not proportionate to the 50% of the nation's population which they represent and has into equal representation in political leadership positions. The global issue of goal 3(to promote gender equality and empower women) of the millennium development goals (MDGs) and other international clarion calls for bridging the gap created by long-term discriminations against women and making women visible in politics made Nigeria to recognize women and making women visible in politics made Nigeria to recognize women in the political sphere, and include them in both appointive and elective positions. Yet, there persists poor participation of women in politics and the number of women in political positions in Nigeria is growing at a slow rate despite efforts to change such trend. Based on secondary sources of information, this paper, examined the challenges Nigerian women still face in active participation in politics such as discriminatory socio-cultural and religious practices, lack of finance, under-representation of women in governance, unhealthy political environment, political party discrimination, wrong perception of women in politics, lack of family, fellow women and media support, indigenization of women political aspirants, among other. This paper recommended measures to guarantee women active participation in politics in Nigeria such as review of discriminatory practices, economic empowerment, support from family fellow women and media; equal representation in governance, healthy political environment, proper perception of women in politics, among others.