IAWL collaborates with NBAWF to release reports on Women in Law

Three papers on women in law and leadership in the legal profession, bench, and academy are about to be released by the Institute of African Women in Law (IAWL) in collaboration with the Nigerian Bar Association Women Forum (NBAWF). These findings are intended to inform policy decisions.

The publications provide an overview of the empirical data on women in law and leadership that was obtained as part of the Institute for African Women in Law's Women in Law and Leadership (WILL) initiative.

Jarpa Dawuni, the founder and chief executive of IAWL, stated: “WILL is crucial because of the legal system’s unique role in addressing gender-based discrimination. Women’s unique perspectives, participation, and leadership in the justice system are valuable tools in achieving goal number five of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) on gender equality by ensuring the specific interests and priorities of women are represented in decision-making processes.”

Speaking about the studies and the launch, Dawuni pointed out that the Institute's Women in Law and Leadership five-year strategic goal aims to hasten systemic transformation for women in leadership.

These reports, according to her, provide the foundation for guiding policy decisions. "To increase chances for women in law in Nigeria," the NBAWF, one of our national partners, "we will work together."

Chinyere Okorocha, the NBAWF's chair, praised the organisation for working with the IAWL.

"NBAWF is delighted to have worked with the IAWL on this commendable study," she said. It is a great source of information on the problems facing female executives in the field, and we look forward to working with stakeholders to put the suggested fixes into practise.

She also thanked Dr. Adejoke Oyewunmi, the Head of the NBAWF Research and Documentation Committee, who headed the NBAWF team, as well as her predecessor Oluyemisi Bamgbose (SAN), under whose guidance the collaboration was started.

On January 18, 2023, the reports will be released in Lagos. At the launch will be prominent members of the legal community, such as judges of superior courts of record, top academics, top law firms, diplomatic missions, and charitable organisations.

A division of the Nigerian Bar Association, the NBAWF is dedicated to empowering, encouraging, and assisting Nigeria's female legal practitioners.

Since its founding in 2019, the NBAWF has provided a forum for the advocacy of female attorneys, championing their appointment and promotion to deserving positions and empowering them through mentoring and exposure to local, national, and international programmes.