Women's Role in Preventing Electoral Violence - A Study on the Impact of Women’s Situation Room on Electoral Violence in Nigeria

Abstract: This thesis studies the Women’s Situation Room Nigeria, a women-led project aimed to prevent electoral violence and increase women’s participation in elections. The aim of this study is to see what kind of impact this project has had on electoral violence in Nigeria. The study is conducted as a single-N comparative case study, comparing the levels of electoral violence in the general elections of 2011 and 2015 at a national and regional level. As Women’s Situation Room were present in only one of the two elections, and in only three of the six states studied, it is possible to see how the level of reported incidents of electoral violence changed where the project was active and where it was not. This comparison shows that the presence of Women’s Situation Room helped lower the risk of increased levels of electoral violence in the 2015 elections compared to the 2011 elections. As the strategies of Women’s Situation Room were to a large extent aimed to raise awareness of the importance of women’s participation and the gendered aspects of electoral violence, this impact of the Women’s Situation Room on the risk of electoral violence can be understood as a result of the promotion of gender equality and non-violent conflict-solving. This goes in line with the women, peace and security agenda and helps support theories on the peace promoting impact of women’s participation in peacebuilding and conflict prevention.