Advocate Gender Equality: Akinlesi Charges NBAWF
Towards creating a more inclusive work environment for women in the legal profession, the Nigerian Bar Association Women Forum, Ogun State chapter (NBAWF) has been charged to vigorously advocate for gender equality and create mentorship programmes, to attain the peak of their career.
The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Dr Rotimiolu Akinlesi, gave the charge while delivering his goodwill message at the first inaugural lecture of the Association at Daktad, Hotels and Suites, Abeokuta, saying it was high time that women in the legal profession became proactive and looked out for opportunities to be outstanding in their career.
Akinlesi noted that female lawyers face quite a lot of challenges, which range from gender bias, and discrimination in handling high-profile cases and these could result in limited career advancement, as well as lowering their earning potential.
“You must develop strategies to overcome these obstacles that may want to keep you from getting to the top in the legal profession. You must map out a blueprint for your success and be determined to break the glass ceiling and take the proper place at the top.” Akinlesi submitted.
The Guest Lecturer, Dr Adeejat Kolawole, while speaking on the topic: ‘Women in Law, the Challenges of the Female Gender’, said the root of discrimination was an age-long tradition, which believes that women cannot attain the top, enjoining stakeholders to make policies, law, practices, and action that would engender gender equity in the legal profession.
She noted that over the years, under-representation had been a major challenge for women in the law firm, stressing various challenges such as sexual harassment of female lawyers, professional’s inflexibility, misogynistic perception of female capacity in a largely patriarchal society, lack of policies action plans and non-implementation of any specific equality initiatives, customs and traditions and most importantly lack of mentoring.
Kolawole revealed that one of the unique objectives of the NBAWF was mentorship. She noted that both young and old should deliberately cultivate and embrace mentorship where the older ones guide the younger ones both career-wise and family-wise while soliciting the support of both stakeholders in ensuring that the female gender is given equal rights with their male counterparts in the profession.
The State Lead, NBAWF, Ogun State Chapter, Mrs Oluwatoyin Sonoiki-Adedokun, said the core objective of the body was to cater to the welfare of women in the legal industry, sensitize them on their rights and how to achieve success without being victimized and discriminated,
