Lokoja: Female judges drawn from the High Court, Customary Court of Appeal, Magistrate Court, and Area Court have called for a more deliberate, inclusive, and gender-responsive judiciary. They made the call on Wednesday in Lokoja during a consultative meeting with the theme: ‘Breaking Barriers: Understanding Women’s Career Progression and Leadership Pathways in the Judiciary.’ The meeting focused on challenges affecting women’s advancement within Nigeria’s judicial system and explored possible reforms.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Mrs. Eliana Martins, Country Vice/National President of the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), emphasized the necessity of dialogue on strengthening women’s inclusion and advancement in the judiciary through institutional reforms. Represented by Rekiya Andrew-Adejo, the National Secretary of FIDA, Martins noted that the forum provided an opportunity to examine the barriers and experiences faced by women judicial officers in their careers. The discussions addressed issues such as entry points into the judiciary, retention, career progression, workplace wellbeing, and access to leadership positions, with an aim to advance gender equality within the institution.
Martins pointed out that despite the progress recorded since Nigeria’s independence and the increasing participation of women in legal education and professional practice, a structural gender imbalance within the judiciary still exists. She cited the Supreme Court, where only four out of the 13 justices were women, as an example of this underrepresentation. The dialogue, co-sponsored by Co-Impact and FIDA, was described as a critical step toward promoting evidence-based reforms that are inclusive, equitable, and responsive to the needs of women judicial officers.
Mr. Fiki Obaro, Senior Programme Manager at FIDA, expressed hope that the judiciary would view the engagement as an important step toward improving the lives and careers of women in the profession. He added that the session was designed to encourage greater representation of women in leadership positions and urged participants to share their experiences openly to help identify and address systemic challenges.
In her remarks, Mrs. Oluwakemi Usman, Chairperson of FIDA in Kogi, stated that the meeting was organized to examine the experiences of women in the judiciary and gather data to help shape practical solutions. Judges at the session identified several challenges affecting women judicial officers, including the absence of uniform criteria for promotions, lack of official approval for continuing legal education, and zoning patterns perceived to disadvantage some ethnic groups.