By Adenike Ayodele
The International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), Ikeja Branch, on Thursday held its second annual dialogue with traditional rulers to deepen engagement on Gender-Based Violence (GBV) prevention.
The Country Vice President of FIDA, Mrs Eliana Martins, in her welcome remark at the two-day dialogue in Lagos, said the organisation convened the second annual discussion with traditional leaders to strengthen community protection systems against GBV.
Martins said the engagement, supported by Ford Foundation, was themed: “Strengthening Community Protection Systems through Case Management Approaches in Combatting GBV by Traditional Institutions.”
She said the dialogue was to consolidate gains from the first engagement, deepen accountability and strengthen the capacity of traditional leaders to move from dialogue to action.
According to her, FIDA Nigeria convened the first traditional dialogue in 2025, which brought together selected traditional leaders to examine the intersection between harmful traditional practices and GBV.
She added that the dialogue fostered increased awareness among participants on the adverse impacts of practices such as forced marriage, widowhood rites, inheritance discrimination and informal dispute resolution processes that prioritise reconciliation over survivor safety and accountability.
Martins said “importantly, the first dialogue revealed growing willingness among traditional leaders to serve as allies and advocates for GBV prevention within their communities.
“However, in spite of positive shifts, post-dialogue engagements and monitoring revealed persistent gaps.
“These include limited translation of commitments into sustained community-level action across some communities, weak accountability mechanisms for tracking traditional leaders’ pledges and inconsistencies between customary dispute resolution practices and Nigeria’s statutory and international human rights obligations.
“In addition, some traditional leaders expressed the need for continued guidance on implementing community guidelines that support GBV prevention and survivor-centred responses.”
She further explained that the second dialogue provided structured platform to review progress, address implementation challenges, reinforce legal and human rights standards, promote case management approaches and improve traditional justice systems.
Martins added that the dialogue would support traditional leaders to operationalise context-specific guidelines, including bye-laws that promote GBV prevention and protection at the community level.
“This dialogue is a strategic opportunity to deepen the impact of ongoing engagements with traditional leaders under the Ford Foundation-supported project.
“By consolidating progress, strengthening accountability and supporting practical implementation of community-level actions, the dialogue will position traditional leaders as enduring partners in the prevention of GBV and promotion of women’s rights and dignity in Nigeria,” she said.
The Chairperson of FIDA Ikeja Branch, Mrs Nnenna Eze, said the mission of FIDA Nigeria is: “to promote, protect and preserve the rights, interests and wellbeing of women and children through the use of legal framework to ensure that they live free from all forms of discrimination, violence and abuse in the society.
“The vision of FIDA Nigeria is a just, peaceful and equitable Nigerian society where women’s rights, interests and welfare are protected, in which they have the freedom to choose and lead their own lives.”
According to her, the organisation promotes and preserves the rights, interests and welfare of indigent women and children, as well as other vulnerable persons, including those living with special needs or disabilities.
“The core values of FIDA include transparency, accountability, commitment to work, service and mutual respect.
“FIDA Nigeria provides legal support and access to justice in both civil and criminal matters and operates about 46 branches nationwide, including five in Lagos, to make access to justice easier for residents,” she said
Eze urged traditional rulers present at the dialogue to take drastic steps in preventing GBV in their various communities.
One of the participants, Chief Femi Alade, said the dialogue was an eye opener to tackling the vices of GBV.
Alade, the traditional ruler of Irede Community in Lagos, lauded FIDA’s effort in preventing GBV in the state.
Another participant, Mrs Fatimah Muhammed, said she has gained knowledge on how to handle domestic violence cases within the home and apply relevant laws.
Muhammed, a human rights activist on GBV cases, said she had learned “how to handle domestic violence cases from home, where and what are the laws that are needed to apply, type of laws needed to be involved, the communities that do not respond positively and where one can report to.”
She added that the dialogue also exposed participants to the kind of advice to give communities
to carry out effective justice for persons who have been raped, assaulted or affected by domestic violence.
She explained that FIDA tried by educating people on what domestic violence is and rendering free services, guiding victims on how and where to go when violated. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Hadiza Mohammed-Aliyu
