Institute of African Women in Law four nations report launch (Nigeria) in collaboration with the Nigerian Bar Association Women Forum 18th January 2023
On 18th January 2023, the Institute for African Women in Law commenced the launch of its Four Nations report with comprehensive empirical findings on women in law and leadership in South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya, and Senegal; looking at three sectors – the bar (lawyers), the bench (judges) and the legal academy (professors). An initiative that seeks to critically examine and address gender based discrimination, looking at perspectives, participation, and leadership in the justices system, whilst furthering the UN SDG No.5 on gender equality. With research led by IAWL Executive Director Professor Jarpa Dawuni (Howard University, USA) and editor of the reports, a huge congratulation to Professor Dawuni and her team.
The three part country reports for Nigeria were unveiled in Lagos. In attendance, legal dignitaries included Supreme Court Justice Amina Augie CON, Mrs Chinyere Okorocha NBAWF, Professor Yinka Omorogbe SAN (NIALS) and Professor Oluyemisi Bamgbose SAN (Ibadan). In her acknowledgement, Onyoja, who is a board member of the Institute, highlighted how the reports reiterate, amongst other things, that it is not enough to have gender-inclusion policies in place unless they are effectively implemented. Echoing that rights are meaningless unless they are consistently enforced.
Onyoja discussed international child protection matters at the post-launch event; networking with children law practitioners at the Nigerian Bar and the Lagos State Ministry. Read more on the Institute’s website and see also feature in the Guardian newspaper.
Whilst in Lagos, Onyoja also met with Biodun Tugbiyele, Principal Partner at TAO Tugbiyele & Co Solicitors and Advocates, author of Nigerian Court of Appeal and Supreme Court law reports, to discuss the possibility of creating an easily accessible database of international family law cases in Nigeria; and Mrs. Efe Etomi, President of the African Women Lawyers Association and IAFL Fellow.