Michael Olugbode in Abuja
UN Women Nigeria has disassociated itself from fundraising materials circulated by Gender & Development Action (GADA) in connection with preparations for Nigeria’s forthcoming general elections, saying it neither authorised nor supports the initiative.
The organisation, in a statement issued in Abuja yesterday, said it became aware of materials associated with GADA that used the UN Women name and the branding and logo of the Women Political Participation (WPP) Working Group while soliciting financial contributions for individual female political candidates.
UN Women Nigeria said it was concerned that the use of its name and WPP Working Group branding alongside the fundraising appeals could create the misleading impression that the United Nations agency or the working group endorsed, sponsored or supported the fundraising initiative and the candidates involved.
“As part of the United Nations system, UN Women is bound by the principles of impartiality, independence and political neutrality,” it said, stressing that the UN and its entities do not endorse, campaign for, support or oppose political parties or individual candidates.
The organisation clarified that neither UN Women nor the WPP Working Group had authorised the use of its name, logo, branding or visual identity for fundraising intended to benefit individual political candidates or electoral campaigns.
It also stated categorically that it does not endorse any political candidate or party, nor does it solicit, sponsor or facilitate fundraising for political candidates or electoral campaigns.
According to the statement, the WPP Working Group similarly does not authorise the use of its branding for political fundraising, while GADA’s fundraising activities in question were neither endorsed, sponsored nor supported by UN Women or the working group.
UN Women Nigeria said it had formally communicated its concerns to GADA and requested the organisation to cease and desist from using the UN Women name, logo, branding or WPP-associated visual identity in connection with political fundraising.
It further requested GADA to remove the relevant materials from its online and offline platforms and issue a clarification stating that neither UN Women nor the WPP Working Group endorsed, sponsored or supported the fundraising initiative.
The agency, however, said it valued its partnerships with organisations working to promote women’s political participation in Nigeria, including GADA and other civil society organisations.
It stressed that such partnerships must operate within the principles of impartiality, independence and political neutrality governing the work of the United Nations.
UN Women said its commitment to women’s political participation remained strong, explaining that its programmes were designed to promote women’s leadership and equal representation in governance through non-partisan and inclusive initiatives that support women across political affiliations.
It added that its work did not constitute an endorsement or support for any individual candidate, political party or electoral campaign.
The organisation said it would continue to work with the government, civil society, women leaders, political stakeholders and other partners to create an enabling environment for all women, regardless of political affiliation, to participate meaningfully and equally in political and public life.
It therefore urged stakeholders to ensure that the UN Women name, logo and WPP Working Group branding were not used in any manner that could imply UN endorsement of political fundraising or electoral campaigning.