By Peoples’ Guide Reporters
A civil society organization, the Community Outreach and Public Empowerment Foundation (COPE Foundation), has attributed the low participation of youths and women in governance processes to the widespread belief that their voices are neither recognized nor valued, particularly during elections.
The organization noted that cultural norms, social expectations, and low confidence levels often limit women’s ability to speak openly or actively contribute during public discussions, thereby hindering inclusive participation.
COPE Foundation made this known during a state-level roundtable dialogue on the overview of the Ebonyi Active Citizens Project (EACP) and feedback from community engagements in Ebonyi State.
In his address, the Executive Director of COPE Foundation, Azubuike Mgbebu, stated that the project is designed to strengthen democratic participation, promote civic awareness, and enhance inclusive governance at the grassroots level across Ebonyi State.
Mgbebu disclosed that the EACP, implemented by COPE Foundation with support from Yiaga Africa and the National Endowment for Democracy, has recorded significant progress in capacity building for community based Active Citizens Advocates, expansion of grassroots civic education, campus town hall meetings, and youth mobilization initiatives.
Also speaking, the Special Assistant to the Governor of Ebonyi State on Community Engagements, Hon. Paulinus Nwanchor, said the core values of COPE Foundation align with the state government’s policies of bringing governance closer to the grassroots. He expressed the government’s willingness to partner with the organization to deliver more democratic dividends to the people.
A director in the Ministry of Budget Planning and economic development, Mr. Chijioke Ogbodo noted that the dialogue would awaken citizens’ consciousness to monitor how public funds are utilized. He added that the ministry would provide necessary financial data to help track and prevent the diversion of resources.
Similarly, the Director from the Ministry of Youths and Sports commended COPE Foundation for its timely interventions, emphasizing the need for youth self-development and urging them to shun violence.
In her remarks, one of the CSOs stakeholders, Mrs. Victoria Ebere attributed citizens’ disengagement and passive participation in governance to a nonchalant attitude, noting that many fail to follow up on their contributions to ensure implementation by leaders.
The stakeholders dialogue was attended by Chief Executive of CSOs, traditional Rulers, government officials, youth leaders, the media and community active citizens advocates
Other participants stressed the importance of leaders consulting communities before embarking on projects, educating citizens on their civic rights and responsibilities, and creating a more enabling environment for women’s participation in governance.
