The International Association of Women Judges (IAWJ) in partnership with CO-IMPACT a global philanthropic collaborative fund has selected Nigeria as one of the five countries to develop and implement a multi-year programme to enable, support and promote sustainable leadership pathways for women in the judiciary across the global South.
The Global South is a term that refers to countries in Asia, Africa, Latin America, and Oceania.
The project, Women in Leadership in Law (WILIL) initiative is a three-year programme that endeavours to identify and encourage the removal of barriers and obstacles in the way of women entering, thriving and advancing as leaders in the judiciary in a sustainable manner.
Each of the five countries — Nigeria, South Africa, Kenya, Mexico and the Philippines has its national affiliate to IAWJ and is required to design and work out its modalities for achieving success of the project based on the peculiarities of their individual countries.
Fortunately for Nigeria, the idea of the WILIL project emerged during two interesting tenures. The tenure of Hon. Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court, who was sworn in March 2023 as President of IAWJ and that of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Hon Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun. Hon. Justice Kekere-Ekun is the President of the National Association of Women Judges Nigeria (NAWJN).
To lead the Nigerian team which is still fine-tuning the details of its work in Nigeria are two retired justices of the Court of Appeal — Hon Justice Chinwe Iyizoba JCA (rtd) and Hon. Justice Tani Yusuf Hassan JCA (rtd). They were appointed by NAWJN as judicial coordinators of the project.
Four serving judges including, Hon. Justice Tamunoigoni Susan Oji, Hon Justice Angela Obi Moku, Hon. Justice Binta Mohammed and Hon Justice Mujibat Iyabode Oshodi will serve as technical committee members.
