Women’s Political Participation and Legislative Representation in Anambra State, South East Nigeria

This study examines the levels and constraints on women's political participation and legislative representation in Anambra State, South East Nigeria. Nigeria ranks poorly among African nations on gender representation in politics, and the South East zone, with its distinct socio-cultural traditions, presents a unique context for exploring gendered barriers to political inclusion. The study is grounded in feminist political theory and draws on recent empirical studies on gender and governance in Nigeria published between 2020 and 2024. A descriptive survey design is adopted, and 200 respondents comprising female politicians, party officials, women's advocacy groups, and civil society activists are sampled using purposive and snowball techniques. Data are collected using structured questionnaires and semi-structured interviews and analysed through frequency distributions and narrative analysis. Findings are expected to reveal that patriarchal norms, financial barriers, party structure discrimination, and insecurity are the dominant constraints limiting women's access to elective offices. The study also assesses the effectiveness of gender mainstreaming policies adopted by the Independent National Electoral Commission and political parties. Recommendations will address party-level reforms, candidate mentoring programmes, and community sensitisation campaigns designed to improve female legislative representation in Anambra and the broader South East zone. Keywords: women, political participation, legislative representation, Anambra State, gender