Identify obstacles against your advancement, Sanwo-Olu urges women judges

Sanwo-Olu also urged them to carve out a future where women in the legal profession would stand on equal footing with their male counterparts.

The governor said this while addressing the first South-West zonal workshop of the National Association of Women Judges of Nigeria (NAWJN) on Thursday in Lagos.

The theme of the workshop was: “Breaking Leadership Barriers for Women in Legal Profession.”

Sanwo-Olu, who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Bimbola salu-Hundeyin, expressed joy that Nigerian women judges competed favourably and effectively with their counterparts globally in the dispensation of their sacred duties as members of the hallowed inner bar.

He celebrated the women judges, particularly in the South-West of Nigeria.

Sanwo-Olu also commended Justice of the Supreme Court, Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, for sustaining the platform for women judges to confer and build a structure that would sustain the legal instrument of the state and the country.

“Your dedication and commitment to advancing women's leadership in the legal profession are truly commendable and I am confident that this conference will provide robust solutions and forge new and workable strategies to bring about lasting and tangible change that you have constantly desired and would live forever in our lives,” he said.

The Chief Judge of Lagos State, Justice Kazeem Alogba, in his remarks, celebrated the judges and welcomed them to Lagos.

Alogba said that women have strategically dominated the legal profession in Nigeria.

He applauded the women judges for their doggedness and relentlessness in discharging their duties.

Alogba noted that the female gender was becoming more successful in the profession as more females graduated with distinction at the recent Law School graduation in Abuja.

The President of NAWJN, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, in her opening address, said that there was much work to be done notwithstanding that the country had come a long way in terms of women achieving leadership positions in the legal profession.

Kekere-Ekun said the journey towards achieving true parity and inclusivity remained ongoing.

She said inclusivity was the campaign theme of the 2024 International Women’s Day celebration tagged “Inspire Inclusion,” which was also part of NAWJN’s vision for women in law.

According to her, there are still many challenges inhibiting women from reaching the zenith of their careers.

She listed the challenges as domestic impediments, difficulty in maintaining a work-life balance, lack of support in the home, and working conditions that are not favourable to women.

Kekere-Ekun also said that women had been exceptionally blessed by God with innate skills and the ability to multitask, which could enhance and support nation-building.

The judge said: “It is, therefore, imperative to recognise the invaluable need for the participation of women in policy making and to strive to ensure their inclusivity in the promotion of policies that are gender sensitive and which provide greater access to justice.

“There is no gainsaying the fact that women have so far contributed to shaping the legal landscape globally.

“The International Day of Women Judges’ event on “Women in Justice and Women for Justice,” held on March 11, 2024, with the several insightful papers presented and discussions on the need for inclusivity of women in judicial policies, attests to this fact.

“Indeed, we have come a long way as women but there is still a long way ahead.”

Kekere-Ekun said that the International Association of Women Judges had partnered with Co-Impact, a philanthropic collaborative fund, to develop and implement a multi-year programme to enable, support and promote sustainable leadership pathways for women in leadership.

She said that the programme would provide a roadmap that would lead to the enhancement of women in leadership in the judiciary and other fields of endeavour, expected to positively impact high-level decision-making and overall best practices within the profession.