Women lawyers canvass gender equality

By Abiodun Akinsawa
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International Federation of Women Lawyers in Ondo State, FIDA, has called for gender equality and fulfilment of women’s expectations as enshrined in the Beijing declaration .

FIDA equally issued stern warning against child molesters and rapists that they would be made to face the full wrath of the law.

The union  described  the rate of rape  of minors  as alarming.

They called on government  to as a matter of urgency address the issue of rape and other crimes against women as they are most vulnerable to such attacks.

Making this call was the  State Chairperson of FIDA, Bola Joel Ogundadegbe Esq who led members of the association in an awareness walk in the Akure metropolis in a bid to sensitise members of the public on the rights of the girl- child.

She made case for equal opportunity in the  aspect of education, leadership position and in all spheres of life.

“When we have this in a progressive society, then gender equality will exist in the world.” She opined.

She stated that the exercise was to create awareness on changes that women expect in order to advance women’s rights and empowement.

She also celebrated change makers working on gender equality activities saying that women deserve better treatment .

“This exercise is also to show that it is high time we end violence against women. There should be an end to rape. There should  be an  end to all forms of violence against women.”

She expressed that women are not put in key positions and only one woman was elected in the Ondo State  House of  Assembly .

She called for a situation where by a large number of women can be in political offices and a number of women can be employed in civil service.

She argued that when women are not given their rights,  they might go through domestic violence, physical violence, sexual violence and they may even go through poverty and maintained that when women are  not educated, they are often disadvantaged.