by FIDAFIDA Nigeria 3rd Quarter National Executive Council Meeting
FIDA Nigeria kick-started her 3rd Quarter National Executive Council meeting in Kaduna State, on the 13th of October 2021, with a visit to Jam’Iyyar Matan Arewa Orphanage Home, the place of refuge for orphans, homeless, and abandoned Kids.
The Country Vice President/National President Rhoda Prevail Tyoden, accompanied by her National Executive Officers and representatives of the different FIDA Branches.
In her remark, appreciated the zeal and efforts of management and urged them to continue in their cause of fending for the vulnerable and less privileged kids.
On behalf of FIDA Nigeria, she made a donation to support the care of the babies while furthermore assuring them of continued support, especially legal aid in their cases.
This noble cause of being a blessing to these less privileged kids and spending time with them gave immense joy and peace to all Fidans from the different branches who were present.
Later that evening, was a welcome cocktail, which had in attendance the Deputy Governor of Kaduna State ably represented by the Accountant General of the State Shizzer Nasara Bada, the Chief Judge of Kaduna State, Honorable Justice Muhammadu Lawal Bello who was supported by members of the Judiciary (Judges and Magistrates), alongside Fidans from over 28 branches in the federation.
A delightful entertaining and most eventful evening it was as members enjoyed the warm hospitality of the host branch, FIDA Kaduna State ably led by the Chairperson Zainab M. Atoba
by FIDAInternational Day of the Girl Child 2021
FIDA Nigeria commemorates the International Day of the Girl Child 2021 with the theme ‘Digital Generation-Our generation’.
Though the Girl Child in Nigeria is still disadvantaged, discriminated against, underprivileged and grossly underestimated, we celebrate her strength, against all odds that the society has stacked up against them, the girl-child still manages to daily surmount the obstacles and challenges to survive and excel.
We acknowledge that to relate in our modern world today, Digital literacy is an essential skill without which girls will have fewer employment opportunities and will face additional barriers to workforce participation. We must therefore appreciate this challenge and then seek to properly equip them to be great in this generation.
While we are still grappling with tackling the ills faced by the girl child, we need to also work towards mitigating the digital gender gap so we can equally create opportunities and carve a niche for girl child participation.
According to UNICEF, while the Covid-19 pandemic accelerated digital platforms for learning, earning, and connecting, some 2.2 billion people below the age of 25 still do not have internet access at home. Accordingly, girls are more likely to be cut off. The gender gap for global internet users grew from 11 percent in 2013 to 17 percent in 2019. In the world’s least developed countries, it hovers around 43 percent; this calls for grave concern. Inequality in education is also a major contributor to the gender digital divide.
To this end FIDA Nigeria:
- Celebrates the girl child, beautiful, strong, courageous, bold, adaptable, and tenacious excelling despite societal challenges.
- Celebrates the girl child excelling in education, particularly IT, Digital Technology such as Jessica Osita, Promise Nnalue, Nwabuaku Ossai, Adaeze Onuigbo, Vivian Okoyewho. The girls from Regina Pacis Secondary School, Onitsha, Anambra State Nigeria who represented Nigeria and Africa at the World Technovation Challenge in the Silicon Valley in San Francisco, USA won the Gold Medal in the contest. They won the Challenge with a mobile application called the FD-Detector which they developed to help tackle the Challenge of fake pharmaceutical products in Nigeria. They are worthy poster children, so others can emulate
- Celebrates women who are already working in the digital space and call upon them to work more closely with the girl child, helping in creating necessary platforms and opportunities for the girl child to use thereby supporting in closing the gender gap in this sector.
- We also celebrate female digital tech champions such as Adora Nwodo a Software Engineer at Microsoft. Abiola Eniola Aminu, a Product Designer at Flutter-wave. Omolara Adejuwon, an Editor at ProAndroidDev, amongst others who have so far accomplished giant strides in this sector despite known challenges. They stand today as great inspirations and worthy mentors to the girl child.
FIDA Nigeria calls for collective efforts from all – the government, parents, guardians, civil society organizations, FBOs, international institutions, and their agencies to help the plight of the Nigerian girl-child by educating them, bridging the inequality and digital gender gap, create opportunities for them to culminate into strong women leaders.
FIDA Nigeria continues in her noble cause of promoting, protecting, and preserving the rights, interests, and well-being of women and children through the use of legal framework and advocacy to ensure that they live free from all forms of discrimination, violence, and abuse in the society and to realize their potentials.
#DigitalGeneration. Happy Celebrations
Signed:
Rhoda Prevail Tyoden
Country Vice President/National President
FIDA Nigeria
Eliana Martins
National Publicity Secretary
FIDA Nigeria
by FIDAFIDA Abuja Commemorates International Day of the Girl Child 2021
In commemoration of the International Day of the Girl Child 2021, themed “Digital Generation-Our Generation”, FIDA (Nigeria), Abuja Branch paid an Advocacy outreach to Government Secondary School Tudun Wada, Wuse Zone 4, Abuja.
The outreach was premised on seeking ways to address the gender digital divide experienced by today’s generation of girls, by illustrating that we must take a strong generational gender lens to the digital divide if we are to achieve meaningful and sustainable change for a digital revolution.
by FIDAFIDA Plateau Held A Sensitization Campaign On Socio-Cultural Norms And Vices That Perpetuate GBV
Eliminating violence against women and girls requires a community-based, multi-dimensional approach (sensitization/campaigns), and sustained engagement with multiple stakeholders.
FIDA Nigeria, Plateau State branch; with support from the Ford Foundation, on September 23rd and 25th, took to the streets of Mangun Community, Mangu L.G.A and Gyel Community, Jos South L.G.A of Plateau State to sensitize a larger populace in the beneficiary communities on socio-cultural norms and vices that perpetuate gender-based violence as well as subjugate the rights of women and girls in these communities.
FIDA Team in the company of each community’s SGBV Surveillance Team participated in the walk, distributing pamphlets, while addressing issues peculiar to each community, educating the populace on the effects of these acts on the victim, community, and society at large; and possible sanctions against a perpetrator.
by FIDANorthern Youth Council of Nigeria Honors Rhoda Prevail Tyoden in Recognition of her Service to Humanity
Woodrow Wilson once said, “there is no higher religion than human service. To work for the common good is the greatest creed”. Also, Albert Einstein was credited with the saying that ‘only a life lived for others is a life worthwhile,’ and I believe that a life of service to others is what truly brings meaning.
To this end, we congratulate Country Vice/ National President Rhoda who has been recognized by the Northern Youth Council of Nigeria as “Gimbiyan Matan Arewa/Paragon of Justice”. An award presented at the FIDA House on the 28th of September, 2021, in appreciation of her immense contribution towards a united, one Indivisible Nigeria.
How are you serving Humanity today? Remember the world will be a better place if we all play our part in service to humanity. You can be a part. Contact FIDA today on: fidanigeria@yahoo.com, 07088496115
by FIDAFIDA Lagos Steps Up Campaign Against Gender-Based Violence
Community sensitization is an effective way of providing first-hand, reliable information to communities, to this end, FIDA Nigeria, Lagos State branch on the 6th of September 2021, successfully carried out her first sensitization/awareness campaign under the Ford Foundation project at Odugunyan/Odonla community Ikorodu, with the theme: “Community Actions to address Gender-Based Violence and Social Norms and Values that Entrench Violence Against Women”.
In attendance were the Baale of Odongunyan Community, Iya Loja of Odongunyan and the Iya Loja of Odonla, Hon. Bola Adaramola Councillor Odogunyan Ward, Members/representatives from the community, Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson FIDA Ikorodu Branch.
To kick start the campaign was a brief introduction of FIDA and Ford Foundation to state the essence of the awareness campaign.
The Odongunyan Grammar Schools, both Junior and Senior Secondary, the markets and the streets of the community were all sensitized.
During the campaign, ad-hoc legal clinic, for men, women, and students was carried out issues related to gender-based violence were reported and attended to, also inviting them for the next legal clinic session. The impact was massive.
by FIDAA Night of Tribute in Honor of Dr. Hauwa Shekarau
Christopher Holloway once said,
“The life of one we love is never lost. Their influence goes on through all the lives it ever touched”.
Described as a beautiful soul who brought so much color to the life of everyone who came in contact with her, Dr. Hauwa Shekarau was celebrated for being resolute in her cause of positively improving the lives of women and children.
A night of tribute was held in her honor on Tuesday, September 28th, 2021, at the National Ecumenical Center, Abuja.
Hauwa lives on in our memories.
by FIDAFIDA Nigeria House officially commissioned
FIDA House was officially commissioned on Wednesday, 29th of September 2021 in Abuja, FCT.
It was commissioned by Her Excellency, Dame Pauline K. Tallen, Minister of Women Affairs, ably represented by Mrs. Funke Oladipo, Director; Women Development at the Ministry of Women Affairs, Abuja.
Prominent ex- national officers of FIDA were present at the occasion:
FIDA International Secretary, Florence Amesiamaka; FIDA International Director, Ezinwa Okoroafor; past CVP & Regional Vice President, Stella Omiyi; past CVPs; past FIDA International Historian & Director, Mercy Agbamuche; past FIDA International Regional Vice-President (North and West) Africa, Chief Victoria Awomolo, SAN; past national and state branch officer; current branch chairpersons, secretaries and officers.
FIDA Nigeria partners, donors, collaborators and friends also graced the occasion.
FIDA has continuously grown from strength to strength over the years, by the grace of God, through the effort and support of her members, partners and friends.
by FIDAFIDA Nigeria Mourns the Passing of a Great FIDA Amazon DR. HAUWA EVELYN SHEKARAU
A Human rights activist with a beautiful soul, full of love and faith, now ascended to heaven away from us, but closer to God, leaving loneliness, sadness, and a great vacuum to be filled.
FIDA Nigeria mourns the passing of a great FIDA Amazon DR. HAUWA EVELYN SHEKARAU:
Current UN Representative FIDA International;
Past CVP/National President, International Federation of Women Lawyers, FIDA Nigeria. May 2012 – December 2015;
Past Deputy Country Vice President, FIDA Nigeria, April 2006 – April 2012;
Past Chairperson, FIDA Abuja Branch, Sept 2002 – Aug 2006.
Hauwa has indeed been a pacesetter who is a great inspiration to many, an exemplary leader who led a very impactful life, touching different lives as a mother, friend, sister, colleague, associate, and mentor.
She was resolute in her cause of positively improving the lives of women and children.
This is a great loss to FIDA; she will be sorely missed.
FIDA Nigeria wishes to express her most sincere condolences to the family of Dr. Hauwa Evelyn Shekarau and indeed all who love and cherish her
May her soul rest eternally in the bosom of the Lord. Amen
Hauwa Lives on!!!
Signed:
FIDA Nigeria
by FIDAFIDA Nigeria Inaugurates Additional Branches
On the 8th and 9th of September, 2021, history was made as FIDA Nigeria inaugurated her 39th and 40th branches- FIDA Badagry and FIDA Ikorodu respectively in Lagos State.
The occasion was attended by the Country Vice President, FIDA Nigeria, Rhoda Prevail Tyoden; Regional Vice-President, Africa (North and West) Mrs. Joy Ezeigbo; National Publicity Secretary, Mrs. Eliana Martins; the Asst. National Publicity Sec., Mrs. Lizzy Akah; and Chairperson, FIDA Lagos, Mrs. Philomena Nneji, amongst others.
The CVP, in her opening address, reminded all FIDANS of FIDA’s mission which is to promote, protect, and preserve the rights, interest and well-being of women and children through the use of legal framework to ensure that they all live free from all forms discrimination, violence, and abuse in the society.
She encouraged FIDANS and indeed the key stakeholders in attendance to speak out against Gender-Based Violence/Domestic Violence so as to eradicate all forms of violence in society.
She encouraged the newly inaugurated Badagry and Ikorodu branches to ensure teamwork, cooperation, and unity in their service delivery to better impact the communities and achieve greater heights.
The Regional Vice President, Mrs. Joy Ezeigbo, and the National Publicity Secretary, Mrs. Eliana Martins also stressed the need to focus on the noble aims and objectives of FIDA for effectiveness and efficiency.
Goodwill messages were received from members of the judiciary, the police, learned silks, the NBA, traditional leaders, faith-based groups, and the youth and market women representatives who applauded FIDA for her great works, particularly her quest to move closer to the communities they serve.
FIDA Nigeria, bringing her services closer to the communities!
