The call for urgent gender reform in Nigeria’s judiciary took centre stage as the Judicial Coordinator of the Wilil Project, Hon. Justice Chinwe Iyizoba, JCA(RTD), delivered a powerful address at the Women in Leadership in Law (WILIL) webinar.
The webinar, themed “Enhancing Work-Life Balance and Accessibility in Court Settings,” was organised by the National Association of Women Judges of Nigeria in partnership with the International Association of Women Judges.
It focused on helping women in the legal profession balance work and family while pushing for greater inclusion in leadership.
Justice Iyizoba said the WILIL project was designed to build sustainable leadership pathways for women across five countries in the Global South.
The countries are Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa, Mexico, and the Philippines.
She explained that CO-IMPACT, a global philanthropic fund, supports the project, adding that the initiative began in Nigeria in 2024 with workshops and data-gathering across state judiciaries.
Justice Iyizoba reported that gender gaps remain alarmingly wide in many states.
She said only a few states like Lagos, Edo and Kano show fair female representation on the bench.
She stressed that claims that women are “not interested” or “not qualified” are false, adding that evidence shows many qualified women are denied opportunities.
Her Lordship, who highlighted that women excel in law school and win top academic prizes, also pointed out that the number of trained women lawyers does not match their progression in the judiciary.
Justice Iyizob said this gap shows that systemic barriers block women from rising.
She explained that women face hurdles at every stage of life due to cultural expectations, asserting that this reality is magnified in a patriarchal society.
She reminded participants that advocacy groups continue to fight for equal opportunities.
She noted recent campaigns for special seats for women in parliament as an example.
Justice Iyizoba warned that no nation prospers when women are excluded from decision-making.
She said the judiciary appears inclusive from the outside because women head the Supreme Court and Court of Appeal, but that the national data tells a different story.
She said many state High Courts fall far below the 35 percent minimum gender benchmark.
She revealed that some states have only two women to twenty men on the High Court bench.
Iyizoba said appointment bodies often include only one or no women at all, and explained that women who get appointed often join late due to systemic obstacles.
She noted that late entry makes leadership positions difficult before retirement.
She said the judiciary lacks maternity leave for judges.
She said women also face unfavourable transfer policies.
She added that courts lack crèches and support systems for mothers.
She said these conditions discourage women of childbearing age from joining the higher bench.
Justice Iyizoba praised speakers who shared their lived experiences during the webinar.
She noted the example of a female Chief Judge who created support systems for women in her state.
According to Her Lordship, the project plans to submit a gender policy proposal to the National Judicial Council.
Thanking all attendees for their commitment to improving gender equity, she said the webinar would contribute meaningfully to the push for reform.
