By Chibuike Nwabuko
Abuja (Sundiata Post) – The triennial International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) Africa Regional Congress began today in Abuja, the Nigerian capital.
The congress which is being hosted by FIDA’s Africa Regional Vice President (West &North Africa) Chief Victoria O. Awomolo, SAN will not only focus on current issues of importance to the work of the association within the region, but pursue calls for states to adopt laws on Gender Based Violence (GBV) among others.
Briefing journalists on the 2019 congress on Friday, the FIDA Africa Regional Vice President said the theme of the congress: “The growth of Women and Children in Africa: Beyond Rhetoric,” aims to foster the participation of and dialogue between various stakeholders, including governments, civil society organizations.
According to her, “Today, the Congress is holding and it is coinciding with the International Day of The Girl Child – a day set aside by the United Nations to celebrate the girl child all over the world. It is a day we should all mark”.
“Earlier this morning, we have joined the women Affairs Minister to do a one million meters march from Abia House to Eagle square. She informed that FIDA is highlighting the challenges the girl child face all over the world and as part of the celebration, the members are wearing a pink to identify with the girl child – reminding us that we were once girl child, she said.
“We chose this not only to underscore the travails of the girl child all over the world today, but to kick-start a dialogue on the growth and all round development of the girl child and women in Africa. You know girl child grow from children to adults and then to women. So there is need to recognise their rights from youthful days and mentor them properly to become successful in future”, she said.
The Regional Vice President who noted that many countries in Africa have attempted to address the incidences of violence by enacting laws for the protection the girl child rights against oppression and abuses some of the girls child go through, however informed that huge challenges tend to limit the implementation of these laws and policies. She said that by the time notes are compared on Tuesday after the plenary session by different countries, it would be clear the different perspectives that many countries are using to combat these oppressions and abuses.
The FIDA’s Africa Regional Vice President, who is a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, listed the laws used to address the abuse of girl child in Nigeria to include; the discrimination of criminal justice system 2015, Violence against women prohibition Act, 2015, Child’s rights act among others.
The activities lined up for the FIDA Regional Congress which holds between October 11th to 15th 2019, include; Outreach-skill Acquisition and Empowerment, plenary sessions, Dinner and award night.
The keynote address will be delivered by Prof Joy Ngozi Ezeilo, Dean of Law, University of Nigeria Nsukka.
Other dignitaries present at the press briefing are: former Regional Vice Presidents; FIDA International, Chief Mrs Stella Omeiyi, Chief Mrs Roseline Oby Nwosu and Hajia Laraba Shuaibu. Others are the National President of FIDA Nigeria, who is also the Chief Host, Mrs Rhoda and Mrs Irene Aborichi from Ghana. It is worthy of note that Uganda and other African countries are also in attendance.