Girl child rights, gender parity dominate women judges’ confab

Participants at the 14th biannual conference of the International Association of Women Judges (IAWJ) have been urged to sustain key issues discussed at the conference in their jurisdictions.  The theme of the conference ‘Building Bridges Between Women Judges of the World’ influenced discussions at the eight sessions comprising of 23 panels of the biannual conference […]

Participants at the 14th biannual conference of the International Association of Women Judges (IAWJ) have been urged to sustain key issues discussed at the conference in their jurisdictions. 

The theme of the conference ‘Building Bridges Between Women Judges of the World’ influenced discussions at the eight sessions comprising of 23 panels of the biannual conference held at Argentina with over 900 judges from 78 countries.

A statement signed Justice Olasumbo Goodluck, the International Director of the National Association of Women Judges of Nigeria (NAWJN), said issues bordering on gender parity, women and girl child’s rights dominated the deliberations, including issues of forced marriage, women and children trafficking and exploitation, the social impact of abduction in the international sphere and digital transformation of the judiciary and the legal profession.

Justice Goodluck said Justices Mary Odili and Amina Augie both of the Supreme Court; the President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa; NAWJN President, Justice Uwani Musa Abba Aji of the Court of Appeal; and 1st Vice President of IAWJ, Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court, led the NAWJN delegation complimented by Justices of Court of Appeal, Heads of Courts and several other judges to the conference.

She said when participants later broke into the IAWJ Regional Chapters for their respective regional continental meeting; the Chief Judge of Enugu State, Justice Ngozi Emehulu, was appointed the International Director for the West and North African sub-region.

“With her appointment, she is now a member of the IAWJ Board of Governors. 

Also, on the board is Hon. Justice Binta Nyako, of the Federal High Court. Her lordship was elevated from second vice president to 1st vice president. The former 1st vice president, Hon. Justice Vanessa Ruiz of the District of Columbia, New Zealand, was installed as the president of IAWJ, 2018-2020,” Justice Goodluck said.

She added that with official registration of Cote d’Ivoire and seven other national associations of women judges, the next IAWJ African Regional Conference will be hosted in Cote d’Ivoire while the IAWJ conference is slated for New Zealand.