By Adenike Ayodele
The International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), Ikeja Branch, on Friday, described technology as a vital tool for advancing the rights of women and children in society.
The branch said this at its 2025 Law Week, tagged, “From Paper to Power: Enforcing Women’s Rights Through Technology and Legal Frameworks”.
In her welcome address, Chairperson of the Law Week, Mrs Uchechi Erugo,said that globally, women’s rights had increasingly moved beyond mere written commitments, to enforceable actions, driven by innovation and advocacy.
She noted that modern justice systems must integrate digital tools to strengthen accountability, evidence gathering and legal protection.
Erugo also noted that technology had taken a new dimension in promoting justice, equity and protection of the vulnerable.
“Laws on paper are not enough because effective enforcement must be modern, sustainable and technology-supported.
“This year’s theme was crafted to challenge legal professionals and stakeholders to rethink how justice is delivered in an age when abuse is often facilitated or hidden through digital means.
“When we combine strong legal frameworks with innovative tech, that is when we truly move our action from paper to power,” she said.
In her goodwill message, Country Vice President of FIDA, Mrs Eliana Martins, reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to deploying technology to expand women’s rights and reduce barriers to justice.
Martins said that the law week, being a longstanding tradition, provides a platform to deepen engagement with emerging rights issues, professional growth and collective action.
“It is heartwarming that this year’s conversation promises to continue in this direction and even dive deeper toward the possibility of using modern technology as a tool or driver to the actualisation of women’s rights.
“For over six decades, FIDA Nigeria has been consistent in campaigns promoting, protecting and preserving the rights of women and children.
“Technology now offers greater reach and effectiveness,” she said.
Martins urged participants to maximise the opportunities presented by the law week, to improve strategies and strengthen enforcement mechanisms that protects women and girls from violence and abuse.
In his keynote address, a Tech Lawyer, Mr Emmanuel Fashola, said that the future of justice is digital, data-driven and woman-centered.
Fashola noted that various countries are using digital tools to strengthen women’s rights from online protection orders in the United States, to AI-driven crime tracking in India, to mobile courts and gender desks across East Africa.
“Nigeria can leapfrog if we combine legal reform with technological innovation.
“Technology will not replace lawyers but lawyers who use technology will replace those who do not especially in women’s rights enforcement,” he said.
On the Nigerian landscape, he acknowledged gains such as the domestication of the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act, wider acceptance of digital evidence, and recent high-profile GBV convictions.
He noted, however, that there were gaps, citing low conviction rates, under-resourced police gender desks and the surge in online harassment cases.
He, therefore, called for smart protection orders, AI-powered case management, and one-stop digital justice portals to close existing loopholes.
In her remarks, Chairperson of the Ikeja branch of FIDA, Mrs Nnenna Eze, also harped on the indispensability of technology in contemporary rights protection.
Eze said that the branch which was inaugurated in October 2022 as one of FIDA’s 46 chapters, continues to address numerous cases of domestic violence, abuse and exploitation.
“While some matters have been successfully concluded, others remain at various stages across courts and police formations.
“Digital tools now play a critical role in documenting violations, tracing perpetrators, improving case management and supporting vulnerable victims,” she said.
She called for synergy between institutions of government, partners and civil society, to modernise rights enforcement and ensure that women and children gain confidence in their social and economic lives.
Meanwhile, Eze disclosed that the 2025 Law week theme was carefully chosen to emphasise that laws without enforcement are ineffective.
She said that technology provides the transparency and efficiency required to make legal protection accessible. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Sandra Umeh
