Newly Inagurated FIDA Ikeja Branch, promises transparency and accountability

In an effort to champion the cause of humanity, especially crimes and challenges against women, the girl-child and children in the society, the International Federation of Women Lawyers, FIDA, Nigeria on Wednesday inaugurated a brand new Branch at the Ikeja Judicial Division of Lagos State.

FIDA core objectives include to promote, protect and preserve the rights and interest of indigent and vulnerable members of the society, especially women, children and persons with disabilities. 

According to the inauguration agenda, the Branch’s ‘Vision’ is to ensure a just peaceful and equitable Nigeria Society where women and children’s rights and interests are guaranteed and protected and they’re free to choose and live their own future, while its ‘Mission’ is to promote, protect and preserve the rights, interests and wellbeing of women and children through the use of legal framework to ensure they live free from all forms of discriminations, violence and abuse in the society.

The event’s agenda also shows that the branch’s ‘Core Values’ include, Transparency, Accountability, Team work, integrity, Mutual Respect, Commitment, Service, and Non-Partisanship.

Chief Magistrate of Ikorodu high court Mrs. Olagbegi Adelabu, charged members of the newly inaugurated branch to beam their searchlight at challenges that border around child marriage, domestic violence, female genital mutilation, sex slave, and girl-child and children trafficking, which are obviously still very pronounced in the country.

She suggested that a lot of regular families without food could be advised to be opened to giving up their children for adoption by families which at least could provide food, shelter and education for the children rather than allowing them to waste away on the streets.

She also listed issues of male lecturers, wanting to sleep with female students for grades and male sports coaches wanting to have carnal knowledge of their female athletes before they could be featured in matches, as problems that needs urgent intervention.

While highlighting the need for a uniform approach to the challenges confronting women and children by the government, the keynote speaker said the government needs to consider something like a child support fund for children whose parents are unable to take care of them, owing to the economic hardship and poverty.

The Chief Magistrate also noted that there has not been a gender balance in the country’s political system, and as such the female gender has over the years been severely shortchanged in the scheme of things.

While fielding questions from journalists at the event, held at the NBA Ikeja Centre, Old Secretariat, Ikeja, Lagos, the newly inaugurated Chairperson of FIDA Ikeja Branch, Marian Jones, said while the branch sees crimes against humanity as its general cause, it would place special importance, value, and prominence on gender base issues, affecting women and children in the society.

She said: “So as we commence, our focus will be geared towards ensuring a highly improved, bigger and better FIDA in the communities and people under the Ikeja Judicial Division, which consists of eight local government authorities namely: Agege, Ifako-Ijaiye, Kosofe, Mushin, Alimosho, Oshodi-Isolo, Somolu, and Ikeja, which serves as both the seat of the State government and the divisional headquarters. Ikeja is the State capital and administrative centre of Lagos State Government.”

“We have so much work to do being a baby branch. So we promise to work to ensure that FIDA within the Ikeja Judicial Division will be a force to reckon with within these communities by the police, government agencies and other key stakeholders as well as civil society organizations,” she stated

According to the inauguration agenda, the Branch’s ‘Vision’ is to ensure a just peaceful and equitable Nigeria Society where women and children’s rights and interests are guaranteed and protected and they’re free to choose and live their own future, while its ‘Mission’ is to promote, protect and preserve the rights, interests and wellbeing of women and children through the use of legal framework to ensure they live free from all forms of discriminations, violence and abuse in the society.

The event’s agenda also shows that the branch’s ‘Core Values’ include, Transparency, Accountability, Team work, integrity, Mutual Respect, Commitment, Service, and Non-Partisanship.

While fielding questions from journalists at the event, held at the NBA Ikeja Centre, Old Secretariat, Ikeja, Lagos, the newly inaugurated Chairperson of FIDA Ikeja Branch, Marian Jones, said while the branch sees crimes against humanity as its general cause, it would place special importance, value, and prominence on gender base issues, affecting women and children in the society.



Her words: “So as we commence, our focus will be geared towards ensuring a highly improved, bigger and better FIDA in the communities and people under the Ikeja Judicial Division, which consists of eight local government authorities namely: Agege, Ifako-Ijaiye, Kosofe, Mushin, Alimosho, Oshodi-Isolo, Somolu, and Ikeja, which serves as both the seat of the State government and the divisional headquarters. Ikeja is the State capital and administrative centre of Lagos State Government.”

“We have so much work to do being a baby branch. So we promise to work to ensure that FIDA within the Ikeja Judicial Division will be a force to reckon with within these communities by the police, government agencies and other key stakeholders as well as civil society organizations,” she stated

On his part, Guest Speaker at the event, Alexander Muoka, believed that the excuse by the male folks that women have not shown enough interest in politics does not hold water.

He noted that the question is; “would the women be given the chance by the male, even if they show the required interest?”

While raising concern about discriminatory practices in the country’s unemployment space, Mr. Muoka lamented that women hold about 52 per cent in under employment rate and about 60 per cent in unemployment rate in the country, according to statistics.

 Adelabu, charged members of the newly inaugurated branch to beam their searchlight at challenges that border around child marriage, domestic violence, female genital mutilation, sex slave, and girl-child and children trafficking, which are obviously still very pronounced in the country.

She suggested that a lot of regular families without food could be advised to be opened to giving up their children for adoption by families which at least could provide food, shelter and education for the children rather than allowing them to waste away on the streets.

She also listed issues of male lecturers, wanting to sleep with female students for grades and male sports coaches wanting to have carnal knowledge of their female athletes before they could be featured in matches, as problems that needs urgent intervention.

While highlighting the need for a uniform approach to the challenges confronting women and children by the government, the keynote speaker said the government needs to consider something like a child support fund for children whose parents are unable to take care of them, owing to the economic hardship and poverty.

The Chief Magistrate also noted that there has not been a gender balance in the country’s political system, and as such the female gender has over the years been severely shortchanged in the scheme of things.

On his part, Guest Speaker at the event, Alexander Muoka, believed that the excuse by the male folks that women have not shown enough interest in politics does not hold water.

He noted that the question is; “would the women be given the chance by the male, even if they show the required interest?”

While raising concern about discriminatory practices in the country’s unemployment space, Mr. Muoka lamented that women hold about 52 per cent in under employment rate and about 60 per cent in unemployment rate in the country, according to statistics.

The national president of FIDA Mrs. Amina Suzannah Agbaje said all the members of FIDA Ikeja branch in "walking the talk" to end all forms of violence against women and children in the communities.