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The Leader of the Senate, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele has said that the challenges facing women and children demand a decisive shift from fragmented interventions to a coordinated system of prevention, protection, enforcement and accountability.
Bamidele noted that Nigeria already possesses important constitutional guarantees and statutory frameworks, but their impact depends on effective implementation, adequate financing, institutional capacity and sustained political commitment.
Bamidele spoke yesterday in Ado Ekiti, in his lecture themed: Justice in a Changing World: Responding to New Challenges Affecting Women and Children, delivered at the 2026 Law Week Programme of the International Federation of Women Lawyers.
The Senator representing Ekiti Central at the Senate, lamented that inadequate political representation limits women’s influence over public policy and national development, adding that financial barriers, political intimidation, gender stereotypes and discriminatory party structures often disadvantage women seeking elective or appointive positions.
“Inflation, unemployment and the high cost of living particularly affect widows, women with disabilities, single mothers and low-income households. Without affordable childcare, maternity protection, social insurance and access to productive resources, many women remain trapped in economic insecurity.”
According to him, ultimately, the strength of the nation democracy is reflected in how effectively it protects the rights and dignity of every citizen. “Our objective must be a Nigeria where women can live free from violence and discrimination, where children can grow in safety and hope, and where no victim is denied justice because of poverty, social status, disability or geographical location.
“Let us, therefore, move from commitment to action, from legislation to implementation, from promises to accountability, and from access to justice in principle to justice in practice.
“Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen, justice must be more than a promise in our Constitution or a provision in our statute books. It must be accessible, affordable, timely and effective.
“A woman who suffers domestic violence must be able to seek protection without intimidation or social condemnation. A child who experiences abuse must be heard, protected from further harm and provided with appropriate support. Victims must have access to legal assistance, medical care and psychosocial services, while perpetrators must be held accountable in accordance with due process and the rule of law,” he said.
In his remarks, the Chief Judge of Ekiti State, Justice Lekan Ogunmoye expressed concern about the weaponization of the digital space, noting that technology has accelerated human progress, but it has also parted insidious forms of harm cyber bullying online sexual exploitation digital harassment and the non-consensual sharing of intimate images are disproportionately targeting young women and children.
“The trauma of digital violence is permanent, transcending physical borders. As custodians of the law, we can no longer view justice solely through the lens of physical. We must pioneer digital advocacy, pushing for robust enforcement of cybercrime laws and ensuring that internet service providers and tech platforms are held accountable to safeguard vulnerable users.
“Furthermore, economic instability and rising inflation have deepened the vulnerabilities of women and children in our communities. Poverty is a structural barrier that fuels domestic abuse, child labour, and out-of-school dropouts. When families face severe financial distress, women often bear the brunt of domestic hostility.”
In his address as the Keynote speaker, the Vice Chancellor of the Afe Babalola University Ado Ekiti (ABUAD), Professor Smaranda Olarinde said that an ideal society is one in which a woman can pursue education, work and leadership without fear, one in which a child can grow and learn in safety, one in which technology enlarges opportunity rather than enabling exploitation, and one in which the poor and vulnerable can approach the law with confidence rather than apprehension.
“This future will not be achieved by declarations alone. It requires principled leadership, adequate resources, capable institutions, research, public education and sustained cooperation. It requires us to translate compassion into systems, legal principles into practice, and professional commitments into measurable results.”
