FIDA Pushes For Opportunities In Nigerian Judiciary Leadership

The International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) Nigeria has expressed concern over the gross under-representation of women in leadership positions within Nigeria’s judiciary despite increasing female participation in the legal profession and notable milestones recorded over the years.

FIDA Country Vice President/National President, Mrs. Eliana Martins, raised the concern in Awka, Anambra State, during a consultative dialogue with women judicial officers supported by Co-Impact, an international non-profit organisation.

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The dialogue, themed “Probing Women’s Career Progression and Leadership Pathways in the Judiciary,” seeks to strengthen the inclusion and advancement of women in Nigeria’s judiciary through institutional reforms.

Represented by the National Publicity Secretary, Mrs. Chineze Obianyo, Martins lamented the persistent structural gender imbalance within the judiciary despite post-independence gains and the increasing number of women in legal education and professional practice.

She noted that the engagement would provide a platform to examine barriers confronting women in their career progression, including entry, retention, advancement, leadership opportunities and workplace experiences within the judiciary.

According to her, while Nigeria has recorded landmark achievements with figures such as Justice Aloma Mariam Mukhtar, the first female Chief Justice of Nigeria, and Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa, the first female President of the Court of Appeal, women still remain largely under-represented in judicial leadership positions.

“Currently, in the Nigerian Supreme Court, only four out of the thirteen justices are women, representing about 31 per cent.

“Although the appointment of the current female Chief Justice in 2024 was a significant milestone, it did little to address the broader systemic imbalance,” she said.

Martins attributed the challenge to entrenched socio-cultural biases, discriminatory workplace practices, lack of institutional safeguards, restricted access to leadership opportunities, opaque promotion systems and gender stereotypes questioning women’s competence, particularly in cases involving customary or Islamic law.

She explained that the dialogue would help aggregate state-by-state data on barriers faced by women judicial officers while also laying the foundation for a more inclusive and gender-equitable judiciary.

“This engagement is a critical step towards promoting evidence-based reforms that are inclusive, equitable and responsive to the needs of women judicial officers, reflecting the principles of fairness, diversity and gender justice,” she added.

Earlier, Anambra State FIDA Chairperson, Mrs. Amara Muojeke, disclosed that 10 states with records of low representation of women in the judiciary were selected for the project, which is being implemented simultaneously across the states.

She said Anambra and Ebonyi states were selected from the South-East zone.

According to her, the project aims to identify the factors limiting women’s advancement in the judiciary despite the high number of female magistrates and legal practitioners in the country.

“As at 2023, Nigeria had 13 Supreme Court judges and only four were women. In Anambra State, out of 29 High Court judges, only five are women.

“Meanwhile, there are many women in the magistrate courts and among legal practitioners.

“So, what really is the challenge? Is it cultural, policy-related, qualification issues or lack of opportunities?” she queried.

Muojeke said the five-year project would engage key stakeholders, including the Chief Judge, Attorney General, Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Judicial Service Commission (JSC), female judges, magistrates and customary court officials.

She expressed optimism that the initiative would yield meaningful reforms, noting that similar projects previously implemented by Co-Impact in countries such as Kenya recorded positive outcomes.

Acknowledging possible criticisms over advocacy for women’s inclusion, Muojeke maintained that the Nigerian Constitution guarantees equal opportunities for all citizens.

“If men can occupy such positions and there are qualified women available, they should equally be encouraged to grow and lead,” she said.

She, however, described Anambra as relatively gender-friendly, citing the appointment of women into key positions by successive administrations in the state.