EKITI ASSEMBLY PARTNERS FIDA ON WOMEN RIGHTS PROTECTION

...Female Lawyers Hail Election of Six Women into Ekiti Assembly

The Ekiti State House of Assembly has pledged its readiness to partner with the state chapter of the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) on the protection of women's rights, promotion of gender equality and women's economic empowerment.

The Speaker, Rt. Hon. Adeoye Aribasoye, who gave the commitment when he received in audience officials of the state chapter of FIDA led by the state Chairperson, Mrs. Oyinade Olatunbosun, who paid him a courtesy visit in his office in Ado Ekiti, described the body as "important stakeholders on issues that concern women and children in the state."

He listed other areas of the Assembly's collaboration with FIDA to include legislative support for defence and protection of women's rights, public awareness, legal aid and assisting women and children to develop their full potentials towards contributing to the growth of the state.

Describing FIDA as a body comprising of women who know and understand the importance of the law in reforming the society, Rt. Hon. Aribasoye said their experience and expertise would be needed to look at various laws in the state on women's rights and protection of children to see areas where improvements are needed.

The Speaker who described law as dynamic and not static noted that laws enacted in the past can be amended to suit the present realities adding that some of the existing laws on the protection of the rights of the vulnerable segment of the population need to be strengthened.

He assured that the Seventh Assembly would always be committed to supporting FIDA to stamp out traditional practices that are injurious and inimical to the cause of women and ensuring better access to justice for victims of abuse of the rights of women and children.

Apparently recognizing the importance of women lawyers in carrying out their functions of support and defence of the rights of women and children, Rt. Hon. Aribasoye suggested opening of FIDA liaison offices in the local government areas to give access to their services to those living far away from the state capital.

The Speaker expressed delight that the Equal Opportunities Law in Ekiti State has assisted in giving women more access to elective and appointive offices and was instrumental in ensuring that six women were elected into the Seventh Assembly, election of 53 women as councillors and more women as chairmen and vice chairmen of local governments in the state.

He also recalled that the Sixth Assembly came up with a law with a provision that at least five per cent of contracts awarded in Ekiti State should be reserved for women reiterating the commitment of the state government in implementing the law to give economic empowerment to more women.

The Speaker stressed that the Assembly would work more with FIDA in the areas of advocacy, enlightenment and creating more awareness of laws that protect the rights of women and children using the reach of the legislature which represents the interests of over 3.5 million people of the state.

He said: "Towards the tail end of the Sixth Assembly, we had a special plenary session on Prevention of Gender-Based Violence where people were talking that ours is a patriarchal society and women are parts of properties to be distributed or shared.

"We must not relent in advocacy, public awareness and education because this will help us speak against those harmful cultural practices like female genital mutilation and obnoxious widowhood practices. We need advocacy and we have to collaborate.

"We have about 3.5 million people in Ekiti State and those people are congregating in the House through their twenty six (26) representatives in the Assembly. That is where their voices are heard and when we have that collaboration, it will go a long way because we will go back to our constituencies to report to our people.

"The Ekiti State House of Assembly is committed to partnership with FIDA to promote gender equality, protect women's rights and empower women in our state. We recognize the the importance of legislative support, public awareness, legal aid and economic empowerment."

Speaking earlier the state FIDA Chairperson, Mrs. Oyinade Olatunbosun, revealed that Ekiti State was celebrated at the association's National Executive Council (NEC) meeting in Akure for having the highest number of women legislators (six) in the House of Assembly in Nigeria.

She explained that the state is lucky to have governors, first ladies, members of the House of Assembly, commissioners and other officials who have been very cooperative on issues that touch on the protection of the rights of women and children.

Mrs. Olatunbosun explained that the body (FIDA) was established in 1944 in Mexico by six women while it was established in Nigeria in 1964 meaning that the while global FIDA would celebrate its 80th anniversary next year, the Nigerian chapter would be celebrating its 60th anniversary next year.

The FIDA chief added that the association had made advocacy visits to the palaces of Ogoga of Ikere Ekiti, Oloye of Oye Ekiti, Apeju of Ilupeju Ekiti and Olukere of Odo Oja, Ikere Ekiti on the need to stop traditional practices that violate the rights of women.

She sought the assistance of the Assembly in the areas of finance for the smooth running of the branch and procurement of a bus to aid members' mobility in carrying out their assignments and outreaches.