The Ikeja Branch of the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) has emphasised the critical role of technology in advancing the rights of women and children, describing it as a vital tool for modern justice.
The statement was made on Friday during the 2025 Law Week, themed “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, noted that women’s rights globally have moved beyond written commitments to enforceable actions, increasingly driven by innovation and advocacy.
“Laws on paper are not enough because effective enforcement must be modern, sustainable, and technology-supported,” Erugo said. She added that digital tools are essential for accountability, evidence gathering, and legal protection, particularly as abuse increasingly occurs through digital means.
Delivering a goodwill message, FIDA Country Vice President, Mrs. Eliana Martins, reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to deploying technology to expand women’s rights and reduce barriers to justice. She described the Law Week as a platform to engage with emerging rights issues, professional growth, and collective action.
“For over six decades, FIDA Nigeria has consistently promoted, protected, and preserved the rights of women and children. Technology now offers greater reach and effectiveness,” Martins said.
In the keynote address, tech lawyer Mr. Emmanuel Fashola described the future of justice as digital, data-driven, and woman-centred. He highlighted global examples, from online protection orders in the United States to AI-driven crime tracking in India and mobile courts 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 enforcing women’s rights,” Fashola said. He acknowledged local gains such as the domestication of the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act, acceptance of digital evidence, and recent high-profile GBV convictions but cited ongoing challenges including low conviction rates, under-resourced police gender desks, and rising online harassment cases.
Fashola called for smart protection orders, AI-powered case management, and one-stop digital justice portals to address these gaps.
Chairperson of FIDA Ikeja, Mrs. Nnenna Eze, also stressed the indispensable role of technology in rights protection. She noted that since its inauguration in October 2022, the branch has handled numerous cases of domestic violence, abuse, and exploitation.
“Digital tools now play a critical role in documenting violations, tracing perpetrators, improving case management, and supporting vulnerable victims,” Eze said. She urged collaboration between government institutions, partners, and civil society to modernise rights enforcement and ensure women and children gain confidence in their social and economic lives.
Eze concluded that the 2025 Law Week theme underscores that laws without enforcement are ineffective, and technology provides the transparency and efficiency necessary to make legal protection accessible.