5.1. Constitutional Provisions

5. WEST AFRICA

Several countries guarantee equal participation of women in decisionmaking and politics.

5.1. Constitutional Provisions

The principle of equality for men and women is recognised under the constitution in all countries in the region. In 2010, Niger added provisions in its Constitution to reinforce this. Several countries (Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Sierra Leone and Togo) guarantee equal participation of women in decision-making and politics. For example, the Nigerien Constitution, “assures to them [women] an equitable representation within the public institutions through the national policy [concerning] gender and the respect for the quotas.”945 In 2018, Nigerian Acting President Muhammadu Buhari signed into law the Not Too Young to Run Bill, amending the 1999 Constitution; this lowered the minimum age requirements for competing for and holding key elected offices at both federal and state levels from 40 to 35 years.946 This also aims to enable the emergence of more young women in public office.947 Benin, Côte d’Ivoire and Guinea have enshrined in their Constitution the promotion of women in governance and decision-making. In Guinea, Article 9 of the 2020 Constitution asserts that parity is a political and social goal and that members of the government and assemblies cannot have more than two-thirds of their members from the same gender.948