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Tag: The International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA)

  • FIDA launches nationwide advocacy for reserved seats for women in parliament

    FIDA launches nationwide advocacy for reserved seats for women in parliament

    The International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) Nigeria has launched a nationwide initiative to mobilize citizens at the state and community levels in support of the Reserved Seats for Women Bill currently before the Joint Constitutional Reform Committees of the National Assembly.

    The initiative, backed by UN Women Nigeria and funded by the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), is part of the broader Advancing Women’s Inclusion and Representation in Leadership and Political Processes in Nigeria project. It will be implemented across nine states: Anambra, Enugu (South East), Edo (South South), Oyo (South West), Kogi (North Central), Adamawa (North East), and Sokoto, Kano, and Jigawa (North West).

    In a statement, FIDA Nigeria’s Country Vice President, Mrs. Eliana Martins, said the campaign seeks to foster public consensus and drive advocacy for constitutional amendments that will secure special reserved seats for women in Nigeria’s National and State Assemblies.

    “Our aim is to engage stakeholders through regular consultations, co-create solutions, and consolidate community input into a draft memorandum to be presented during public hearings at the National Assembly,” Martins said.

    The initiative targets the inclusion of 37 additional reserved seats each in the Nigerian Senate and House of Representatives, and up to 108 in State Houses of Assembly.

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    Mr. Fikih Obaro, Senior Manager for Programs and Partnerships at FIDA Nigeria, emphasized that the effort is focused on creating a gender-responsive legal framework through strategic collaborations with both governmental and non-governmental actors.

    He noted that the project’s core objective is to strengthen advocacy for exclusive women’s representation, paving the way for inclusive and equitable governance across Nigeria.

    “Increasing public awareness and support in advancing women political participation and representation through the constitution amendment process.

    “Aggregating demands and advocacy asks through a draft memorandum from citizens towards improving women representation in governance and political process.

    “Securing commitments from National and State Houses of Assembly by building a passage for 74 additional exclusive Special Seats for Women at the National Assembly and 108 Seats at the State Houses of Assembly through Constitutional Amendment/Review process”, Obaro added.

    Mrs. Martins therefore encouraged the public to support all efforts to advance the representation and participation of women in Nigerian politics.

  • FIDA, NAPTIP join forces against trafficking

    FIDA, NAPTIP join forces against trafficking

    By Aliyat Amoo

    The International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) Ikeja Branch and the National Agency for the Prohibition of trafficking in persons (NAPTIP) have   called for synergy with various government agencies to fight human trafficking in Nigeria.

    The groups made this known at a one-day training organised by the members of the anti-human trafficking committee of the branch, in collaboration with NAPTIP.

    The training held in partnership with NAPTIP, was titled: “Strengthening Partnership in Combating Human Trafficking.”

    Chairperson of FIDA, Ikeja Branch, Mrs Nnenna Eze said her agency hadpartnered  with NAPTIP in the fight against human  trafficking.

    She, however, said that there was still need for other governmental agencies to collaborate and fight against the menace.

    “What we are doing today is a form of partnership because from the training today we discovered that NAPTIP has been doing a lot.

    “When we have issues like this, we can easily contact NAPTIP.  So if other government agencies come together to form partnership,  it will strengthen the fight against human trafficking.

    “If there are synergies among governmental agencies, civil societies and NAPTIP, there will be a tremendous progress in combating human trafficking,” she said.

    Eze also said the human trafficking training aimed at enlightening the members of the branch on the rising waves of human trafficking in the country and how to fight against it.

    Eze said the overriding objectives of FIDA  was to protect the rights of children and women.

    According to her, trafficking in person is man in-humanity to man.

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    She said most cases that were handled at the legal clinic of FIDA  included domestic and sexual violence which necessitated the need for the training.

    Eze said: “All these forms of violence is linked to human trafficking.

    “I had the opportunity to speak with some 2015 rescued victims of human trafficking last month and I discovered that majority of them were young girls and 60 per cent of them came back with babies.

    “We also discover that when these victims reunite with their families, they still face psychological problem from their family members for bringing unwanted babies home.

    “So when these victims approach us, we will know how to go about their case because we are well informed and equipped with this training.”

    The Chairperson Committee of the training, Mrs Caroline Ibeh, said the human  trafficking training was a real eye opener and a means for FIDA members to be well  informed.

    Ibeh, the former vice chairperson of FIDA Badagry branch, also said the human trafficking was not only about prostitution and it could happen anywhere.

    She thereafter called on government to enforce strict laws to help curb human trafficking.

    “The laws are there but are they being  enforced?

    “The people in high places should allow  these laws to manifest because if someone who is well placed in the society involves himself or herself in this menace and he is caught, someone will com from somewhere and kill close the case.

    “The laws are there but it is the enforceability we should be working on,” Ibeh said.

    The facilitator of the training, Mr Fred Oko, while addressing the participants, said it was a criminal offence to engage a girl or boy  below 12 years as house help.

    Oko, the Head of Public Enlightenment Unit, NAPTIP, Lagos Zonal Command, said Traffic in Persons (TIP) remained unknown until late 1980s.

    According to him, human trafficking currently generates between 32 and 150 billion US dollars every year with over 27 million people trafficked globally.

    He  identified oath taking, debt bondage, emotional abuse, lies and deception, intimidation and threats as some of the control mechanisms adopted by the traffickers.

    Oko further said other forms of human trafficking included sexual exploitation, illegal adoption, forced labour, domestic servitude and forced  begging.