Education and Women's Representation in Democratic Governance. A Political Sociology Analysis of Electoral Participation in Taraba South Senatorial District, Nigeria

Abstract

Gender disparities in political representation continue to undermine democratic governance worldwide, particularly in many African societies where women's participation in elective political offices remains significantly low. Despite various national and international initiatives aimed at promoting gender equality in politics, women remain underrepresented in decision-making positions. This study examined the influence of educational attainment on women's participation in elective political positions in Taraba South Senatorial District, Nigeria. The study was anchored on Liberal Feminist Theory, which emphasizes equal access to education, political opportunities, and institutional resources as essential conditions for gender equality and effective participation in public affairs. A sequential mixed-methods research design was adopted, combining qualitative and quantitative approaches. The qualitative phase involved Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) with electoral officials, political party leaders, women politicians, and community leaders. Findings from this phase informed the development of a structured questionnaire used in the quantitative phase. A descriptive cross-sectional survey design was employed, and data were collected from 384 respondents selected from a voting-age population of 660,220 through appropriate sampling procedures. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, while qualitative data were analyzed thematically. A mean score of 3.0 served as the benchmark for decision-making. The findings revealed that low educational attainment is a major factor limiting women's participation in elective political offices in the study area. Educational limitations were found to reduce political awareness, leadership competence, self-confidence, access to political networks, and active involvement in party politics. Furthermore, inadequate education contributes to economic dependency, which further constrains women's ability to compete effectively in electoral processes. The study concludes that education is a critical determinant of women's political participation and representation. Improving women's access to quality education can enhance their political consciousness, leadership capacity, economic independence, and overall engagement in democratic governance. The study therefore recommends the institutionalization of compulsory girl-child education, the implementation of gender-sensitive educational policies, the establishment of leadership and political mentorship programmes for women, and the adoption of affirmative measures such as gender quotas and reserved seats to increase women's representation in elective political offices.