International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) Nigeria has called for collaboration among government institutions, civil society, justice actors and development partners to strengthen gender justice, equity and inclusive development nationwide.

FIDA Country Vice-President, Mrs Eliana Martins, made the call at the opening of the 2025 Annual General Conference (AGC) in Lagos, themed ‘Bridging Gaps, Building Future: Women’s Rights, Justice and Sustainable Development in Nigeria.’

Martins said urgent steps were needed to address systemic discrimination and weak enforcement of protective laws, which expose women, children and persons with disabilities to vulnerabilities.

Commending four Lagos branches for their coordination and contributions to legal aid and advocacy, Martins said progress was recorded under the Ford Foundation-supported Gender-Based Violence Prevention Project, which strengthened collaboration among traditional, religious and government leaders in Lagos, Ekiti and Plateau States.

She also listed gains from the United Nations Women’s Political Participation (WPP) project, which secured over 135,000 public endorsements for women’s political inclusion.

She, however, warned that gender-based violence and poor implementation of protective laws such as the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Act and Child Rights Act remained widespread.

“We urge agencies responsible for justice administration to act decisively because FIDA Nigeria will continue to work towards strengthening justice systems and community structures that safeguard the vulnerable.”

In her Keynote Address, Secretary to the Lagos State Government (SSG), Mrs Abimbola Salu-Hudeyin, said that though women remained central to building equitable and stable societies, they continuously face limited access to justice, land, capital and opportunities due to entrenched gender bias.

“Women’s rights are increasingly recognised as essential to good governance, sustainable development and social stability, but more needs to be done to translate legal frameworks into practical benefits for women.”

In his goodwill message, the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Lagos State, Mr Lawal Pedro (SAN), called for deliberate policies that guarantee women’s equal representation in policymaking nationwide.

“Empowering women will lead to better policy outcomes, sustainability and stronger communities. Nigeria must embrace inclusiveness to achieve meaningful progress”, he said.

Former FIDA Country Vice-President and life member of FIDA International, Mrs Marlies Allan, also called for stronger efforts to inspire and equip women with leadership skills, emotional intelligence and confidence.

She frowned that women still face gender bias, stereotypes and limited opportunities.

Also, Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Lawbreed Publication, publishers of Supreme Court Judgment, Mrs Adejoke Layi-Babatunde, called for sustained advocacy, courage and collective effort to secure greater participation of women in decision-making.