Rural women urged to leverage AI for faster access to justice

The Director-General of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Ayo Omotayo, has urged women, particularly those in rural communities, to embrace technology and artificial intelligence to improve access to justice. He said digital tools could enable women to seek legal aid and report discrimination instantly through mobile platforms. Omotayo made the call […]

The Director-General of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Ayo Omotayo, has urged women, particularly those in rural communities, to embrace technology and artificial intelligence to improve access to justice.

He said digital tools could enable women to seek legal aid and report discrimination instantly through mobile platforms.

Omotayo made the call on Tuesday while delivering a keynote address at the national launch of the New Dawn for Women and Community Intervention Initiative (NEWOMCII) and a book unveiling held at the Nigerian Army Conference Centre and Suites in Abuja.

Speaking on the theme, “Empowering Women and Communities: A Practical Pathway for Transformation and Sustainable Development,” the NIPSS boss said digital innovation must become a key driver of gender equity, community development and inclusive governance in Nigeria.

He noted that mobile technology had already demonstrated its reach through fintech services in rural communities and could similarly be deployed to provide protective and proactive justice for women facing discrimination and exclusion.

“Technology can make access to protective and proactive justice local, where mobile platforms allow women in rural areas to seek legal aid and report discrimination instantly,” he said.

Omotayo warned against the exclusion of women from the growing influence of artificial intelligence, urging stakeholders to equip them with the digital skills and tools needed to participate effectively in the evolving economy.

According to him, AI-driven data systems can also help civil society organisations monitor agribusiness performance and connect rural artisans to global value chains.

The NIPSS Director-General observed that although Nigeria is a signatory to international frameworks such as the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women and the Maputo Protocol, implementation at the grassroots level remains weak.

He argued that real transformation would only occur when such international gender agreements are translated into practical realities at the local government and community levels.

Omotayo proposed the establishment of “Cities or Communities for CEDAW,” a framework under which local governments would voluntarily adopt global gender equity standards in their planning and governance structures.

He also called for stronger collaboration among local government chairmen, traditional rulers and community institutions to improve women’s access to land, credit and economic opportunities.

The NIPSS boss further disclosed that the institute, through the Senator Oluremi Tinubu Gender Centre of Excellence, is organising a national competition to assess states on gender neutrality and inclusive governance.

He said states would be evaluated based on women’s representation in decision-making structures, gender-responsive infrastructure planning and the integration of gender neutrality into local laws and administrative processes.

Omotayo urged stakeholders to move beyond advocacy to implementation, insisting that women should be seen as strategic economic assets rather than vulnerable groups.

“When we invest in a woman, we are not just performing a social good; we are making a high-yield economic investment,” he said.

Earlier, the Founder and Chairman of NEWOMCII, Bolaji Raji, said the organisation was established in response to the lack of opportunities and support systems available to many women and youths at the grassroots.

According to him, the initiative is designed to drive practical empowerment and demand-driven capacity building through agribusiness, arts, creative enterprise, skills acquisition and community interventions.

“At the heart of our work is a belief I hold strongly: when women are empowered, families thrive and communities progress,” he said.

Raji added that the organisation is seeking partnerships with government agencies, private sector players, development partners and the media to expand its impact across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.

Also speaking, the National Coordinator of NEWOMCII, Sa’adatu Bokane Adamu, said the organisation focuses on agriculture, agribusiness, creativity, arts and crafts—sectors in which women play critical roles in national economic development.

She noted that the initiative had already impacted several women’s groups and communities through interventions in health, education, mobility, safety planning, humanitarian services, training and capacity building.

“With our operational presence across Nigeria, we are determined to replicate these interventions in all regions of the country,” she said.

Dignitaries at the event included the Etsu Nupe, His Royal Highness Yahaya Abubakar; Seyi Tinubu; and the Chairman/Chief Executive of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Buba Marwa, who was represented by Assistant Commandant of Narcotics, Etuka Chizioba Ifeoma, among other prominent Nigerians.