Evaluation of Women’s Representation in the Nigerian Legislature: A Study of Ondo State House of Assembly

Women's representation in Nigeria's state legislatures remains severely low, limiting the articulation of women's policy priorities and reinforcing patriarchal governance structures at the sub-national level. This study evaluates the factors influencing women's representation in the Ondo State House of Assembly, examining the 2019 to 2023 legislative cycle. A mixed-method design was employed, with 150 respondents including female legislators, female aspirants, political party officials, voters, and civil society advocates completing structured questionnaires and participating in interviews. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and content analysis. Findings reveal that women constitute only 8% of members of the Ondo State House of Assembly, and most female members are concentrated in committees with limited budgetary and policy influence. Inadequate internal party democracy, prohibitive campaign financing requirements, double standard expectations regarding women's family roles during campaigns, and voter bias are identified as the structural barriers most frequently cited. Female legislators report experiencing dismissive treatment from male colleagues and limited access to mentoring within the legislature. Recommendations include adoption of gender quotas by political parties at the state level, public campaign financing support for female aspirants, and civic education on women's political representation. Keywords: women's representation, legislature, Ondo State, political participation, gender quota