by FIDACoordination Meeting For Community Paralegals and Service Providers
FIDA Nigeria as part of activities under the Action Aid WVL Project (Year 4) held a coordination meeting for community paralegals and service providers on 10th August 2022.
The meeting was aimed at establishing an efficient and effective referral pathway structure for responding to GBV in selected communities across three Area councils of the FCT.
At the end of the meeting, community paralegals and service providers had a clearer understanding of their roles, the available referral mechanisms as well as the various service providers cataloged under the referral pathway system for improved and effective responses to GBV cases.
by FIDACourtesy Visit To The Attorney General And Commissioner For Justice, Oyo State, Ibadan.
FIDA Oyo State Branch, ably led by her Chairperson, Mrs. Olusola Sulayman paid a courtesy/familiarization visit to the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Oyo State, Ibadan on 6th August 2022.
The visit also aimed to strengthen the synergy in the fight against the high incidence of female genital mutilation in Oyo State which according to National data ranks fifth. Oyo State can improve through collaboration in advocacy and sensitization of Women and Youth.
The team was well received by the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice Oyo State Prof. Oyelowo Oyewo SAN. He promised to partner with FIDA Oyo in helping to fight against norms that affect the right of women and children.
by FIDAVisit to Female Custodial Facility Kirikiri Prison In Lagos
FIDA Nigeria, Lagos Branch Prison Watch Committee ably led by the Head of the Committee, Mrs. Uzoamaka Nwodili on Wednesday the 10th of August 2022, visited the Female Custodial Facility Kirikiri, Lagos (Prisons) and offered legal services to the inmates, especially the indigent ones.
The total number of inmates in the facility was 240, the number of those awaiting trial was184, number of convicts was 51, number of inmates on death row was 5.
FIDA Lagos attended to a great number of the inmates that required legal assistance and will follow up their cases in court.
by FIDAFIDA Celebrates Nigerian Women in Sports
The International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) Nigeria celebrates in grand style female sports champions winning 12 gold medals for Nigeria at the just concluded Commonwealth Games which held in Birmingham United Kingdom
Despite all the negatives attributable to supporting women in sports such as:
– Poor infrastructure for training etc
– Lack of proper financial support
– The withholding and or non-payment of allowances and benefits
– Bad structure and leadership challenges
– Discrimination & sexism in sports, these negatives primarily against women in sports must stop
Our sportswomen have nevertheless, with pure grits, sheer determination, perseverance, and strong will rose to overcome all challenges and have shown to the world the power of strong, focussed, committed women with a vision, devoted and passionate about a cause
Nigeria got TWELVE GOLD medals at the just concluded Commonwealth Games in Birmingham i.e., our flag was hoisted, and the Nigerian Anthem played because of these meritorious women, some of whom also furthermore broke set records
On pure merit they deserve the resounding accolades, respect, and even national commendation and honours; not to mention a ‘SHEROES’ welcome on their return to Nigeria.
Nigeria, (her relevant agencies and indeed the good people of Nigeria) must rise up to further fund and support such great young girls who are still in their twenties to enable them achieve even more for our nation going forward.
Congratulations to:
- Adijat Adenike Olarinoye – who won gold in the women’s 55kg weightlifting event.
- Rafiatu Folashade Lawa l- who won a gold medal in the women’s 59kg weightlifting event
- Chioma Onyekwere – First Nigerian to win gold in the discus event at any Commonwealth Games
- Goodness Chiemerie Nwachukwu – won a gold medal in the women’s discus throw.
- Alice Folashade Oluwafemiayo – who won gold in the women’s 59kg weightlifting event
- Blessing Oborududu – who won a gold medal in the women’s 68kg wrestling event.
- Odunayo Folasade Adekuoroye – who won a gold medal in the women’s 57kg wrestling final.
- Miesinnei Mercy Genesis – who won a gold medal in the women’s 50kg wrestling event
- Eucharia Njideka Iyazi – who won a gold medal in the women’s shot-put event.
- Tobi Amusan – who won a gold medal in the women’s 100m hurdle race event while later winning another gold medal defending her 100m hurdle race title
- Tobi Amusan, Favour Ofili, Rosemary, and Nzubechi – who won Gold in 4 x 100m Relay
- Ese Brume – who won gold in the Long Jump
FIDA salutes and commends their fire, passion, zeal, and performance. We applaud their efforts and sacrifices while celebrating their successes as we call on other young girls to emulate these female sports champions of Nigeria. Indeed, the future is women!!!
– Support women in sports
– Stop gender discrimination in sports
– Promote and reward female sports champions
by FIDAFIDA Nigeria Trains Twenty Paralegals In Ekiti State
FIDA Ekiti with support from Ford Foundation trains twenty paralegals from two Communities in Ekiti State namely: Ilawe-Ekiti and Erinmope-Ekiti on 3rd of August, 2022
The participants are stakeholders who served as gender-based violence surveillance teams in the communities.
The training is to equip them with necessary knowledge to handle uncomplicated issues in their Communities and refer crimes and complicated issues to the Law Enforcement Agencies and FIDA.
This will ensure the sustainability of the Ford Foundation funded project in the Communities and also strengthen the referral pathway in reporting matters regarding women and girls in the Communities.
by FIDAFIDA Plateau State Held Community Action Plan Progress Review Meeting
FIDA Nigeria, Plateau state branch with support from Ford Foundation carried out Action Plan Implementation Oversight visits to focal communities in Plateau State on Thursday the 28th day of July, 2022 and Friday the 29th day of July, 2022.
The activity aimed at accessing the progress of Community Action Plans implementation.
The activity focused on celebrating implemented milestones and proffering growth paths for stakeholders.
In Gyel community, the Traditional Ruling Council presented to FIDA a draft copy of the Community Bye Law developed to address cultural norms that affect the rights of women and girls within the Gyel District.
While in Mungun community, the District Head, HRH Da Job Ali, highlighted key provisions of the proposed Community Bye Law which is currently undergoing a wider consultation by the Community’s stakeholders.
Representatives across each stakeholder groups were able to share progress and challenges experienced on preventive and responsive activities undertaken to address emerging incidents of GBV within the communities.
by FIDAFIDA Uyo Commemorates World Day Against Trafficking in Persons
On Saturday 30th July 2022, FIDA Uyo Branch joined the world to commemorate the World Day Against Trafficking in Persons.
The theme of this year’s World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, “The Use and Abuse of Technology” highlights that the misuse of technology has significantly increased the illict business of trafficking.
FIDA Uyo commends the efforts of NAPTIP and other organizations in combating the crime of human trafficking, particularly, the recently launched National Action Plan against Human Trafficking.
We strongly believe that the implementation of the Action Plan will significantly curb the menace of human trafficking.
by FIDAWorld Day against Trafficking in Persons
We live in a world of technology, and it has become an integral part of our daily lives shaping everything we do. As we commemorate the World Day Against Trafficking in Persons 2022, with the theme “Use and abuse of technology” we find this
theme apt as perpetrators of trafficking have continued to evolve.
This year’s theme focuses on the role of technology as a tool that can both enable and impede human trafficking.
It is reported that Traffickers currently use technology to profile, recruit, control, and exploit their victims as well as using the Internet, (especially the dark web), to hide illegal materials stemming from trafficking in addition to hiding their real identities from investigators.
Trafficking in persons is the acquisition of people by improper means such as force, fraud, or deception, with the aim of exploiting them (UNODC). This is a grave violation of one’s human rights. As with the rest of the world, trafficking in persons poses a great challenge in Nigeria, some of the regular cases of trafficking in Nigeria as reported by NAPTIP include forced migration, sex trafficking, recruitment of persons for organ harvesting, trafficking in slaves, attempt to commit an offense under this Act, tampering with evidence, forced marriage, illegal adoption, custody battle and abuse of Power
According to UNODC’s Global report on trafficking the most common form of human trafficking is sexual exploitation (79%), and often times the victims of sexual exploitation are frequently girls. Similarly, the 2021 report by the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTP) indicates that 1,112 cases of trafficking in persons were reported in the year under review with 35.8% being cases of sexual exploitation and illegal migration which in most cases are for prostitution.
In sub-Saharan Africa, 60% of trafficked victims constitute children with the larger chunk from west Africa (Global Report on Trafficking in Persons 2020, UNODC).
Due to the rising incidence of trafficking in this part of the world, we must take deliberate steps toward mitigating this challenge.
Often times, victims of trafficking are exploited because of their vulnerabilities such as the desire to escape domestic violence, poverty, mental or physical disabilities, homelessness, and migration for greener pastures.
With the global advancement in technological space, especially in communications, information of users on the world wide web is now previewed to a wider range of people, depending on the user’s privacy settings, personal information could even be accessed by strangers.
The role of technology in aiding and abetting victims of trafficking cannot be ignored either, perpetrators have transitioned from physical means of recruitment to virtual, technology most especially, social media serves as a platform where perpetrators can access potential victims due to their vulnerabilities and even computer illiteracy.
In most cases, the perpetrators impersonate certain positions they are not in a bid to lure online targets based on the information gotten from their interactions, these challenges are not only limited to the use of technology for the act but also as a means.
Victims can be sexually exploited by distributing pornographic content gotten illegally, the mental effect on the victim can take a long time as long as these materials remain in circulation; other effects can be stigmatization and withdrawal from society.
The DG of NAPTIP Dr Fatima Waziri–Azi, in the 2022 counter-trafficking strategic approach meeting reported cases of trafficking and other forms of exploitation via online means with a surge since the beginning of covid-19. Pandemic.
There have been several incidences, one of which is worthy of note which is the case of Iniubong Umoren who was in search for a job on social media, she was lured to a fake job interview and was eventually raped and killed in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.
It is no doubt that trafficking has become a recurrent challenge in Nigeria and the world at large.
Despite its obvious challenges, technology is also an important asset for combatting trafficking which includes awareness creation on how trafficking networks operate, aid investigations, provide services to victims.
FIDA Nigeria calls on all the relevant stakeholders to build the capacity of the masses on digital literacy. Also, harness technology in efforts to counter trafficking in persons by imploring all necessary tools.
• Use of technology such as social media, facial recognition, geofencing, and geotagging to track perpetrators.
• Strategic collaboration and synergy between CSOs, Government agencies, and security apparatus. For example, NAPTIP’s collaboration with the National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children to enhance tracing and diligent investigation of all cases relating of child abuse and human trafficking.
FIDA Nigeria appreciates the hard work agencies and ministries of government including NGOs are doing in this respect and pledges continued support in the fight against human trafficking, as we will continue to partner with the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) to ensure that women and children can live in a society free from exploitation and abuse
FIDA Nigeria stands against all forms of trafficking humans, let’s put an end to it.
#endhumantrafficking
Amina Suzanah Agbaje (Mrs)
Country Vice /National President
by FIDAHanifa Abubakar: Kano Court Sentences Abdulmalik, Hashim to Death by Hanging
On the 28th day of July 2022, Justice Usman Naabba of the Kano State High Court sentenced the Proprietor of Noble Kids College Kano, Abdulmalik Muhammmad Tanko (38), and two others to death by hanging for the kidnapping and killing of Hanifa Abubakar, a five-year-old pupil.
They had conspired and kidnapped the late Hanifa, thereafter they killed and buried her in a shallow grave in Northwest Preparatory School, located at Kwanar Yan Ghana, in Nassarawa LGA, Kano
Justice is therefore served in this matter with the prompt trial and sentencing of the accused persons. This should also serve as a deterrent to others
by FIDACourtesy Visit from Palladium
Earlier today, the Deputy Team Leader & Program Director at Palladium, Dr. Omarzaman Sayedi in the company of Chief of Party, SCALE Lydia Odeh and Eric Umoru Social Protection and Inclusion Advisor Palladium, paid a visit to the Country Vice/National President FIDA Nigeria, Amina Suzanah Agbaje at the FIDA Nigeria National Secretariat Abuja.
The essence of the visit was to evaluate the successes achieved by FIDA Nigeria being one of the resource partners implementing the SCALE project. At the end of the visit, FIDA and SCALE had a better understanding for providing better approaches on delivering maximum report on the project
