Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, the Minister of Interior has said that the Federal Government is ready to support the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) in its efforts at training Community Paralegals with a view to providing first responders and vanguards in cases of threatened violation of rights and abuses within the communities.
Aregbesola stated this when a delegation of the Abuja branch of the Association of International Federation of Women Lawyers in Nigeria (FIDA), led by their Chairperson, Mrs Rekiya Adejo-Andrew paid him a courtesy visit in his office in Abuja
According to the minister, “this is aimed at ensuring a just, peaceful and equitable society for all Nigerians”
Aregbesola who commended the role of women in the socio-economic development of every stable nation, applauded FIDA’s efforts at providing free legal counselling, paralegals training as well as the empowerment of the less privileged.
“We will support your programmes and actions because they are tailored towards empowering the less privileged in the society,” Aregbesola said.
He commended the Association for seeking the Ministry’s support in the areas of programme for shelter designed to serve as safe home for victims of violence and sexual abuse. He added,
“No Society can develop without women, there is therefore the need to respect women.”
He noted further that he decided to support FIDA Programmes and actions in the areas of empowerment for the less-privileged, paralegals training and free legal counseling of inmates which are akin to the Ministry’s mandate .
Rekiya Rachael Adejo-Andrew, the leader of the delegation, earlier, commended the Minister’s giant strides in the formulation and implementation of policies related to diverse internal security and other ancillary services which are highly quantitative, efficient, courteous and transparent to both Nigerians and foreigners alike.
Adejo-Andrew stated further that the vision of FIDA Nigeria, which is to have a just, peaceful and equitable Nigerian Society where women and children‘s rights and interests are guaranteed and protected and also have the freedom to choose and live their own future.
According to her, “to actualize this vision over the years, FIDA has deployed strategies such as legal services to women and children, advocacy, campaigns, workshops, seminars, press conferences, litigation and alternative disputes resolution such as rights and gender friendly laws like Violence Against Rights Act.”
In a related development, Bola Ilori, Special Adviser to the Minister and Chairman, Expatriate Quota Administration in the Ministry, commended the legal services being rendered by FIDA in the custodian facilities across the country.
Ilori advised the International Federation of Women Lawyers to look into the rate at which women are into drug addictions which often resort into violence in the society.
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