Women Judges converge in Abuja to strengthen justice administration across Africa

From Godwin Tsa, Abuja

Top judicial officers, legal practitioners and women judges drawn from across Africa converged on Abuja from Tuesday to Friday for the African Regional Conference of the International Association of Women Judges (IAWJ), with a collective call for excellence, social transformation and mentorship as pillars of a stronger judiciary on the continent.

The four-day conference, which ran from June 8 to 12, was hosted by the National Association of Women Judges of Nigeria (NAWJN) under the theme: “Promoting Excellence in the Administration of Justice.”
Declaring the event open, the First Lady of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, underscored the importance of women’s leadership in the judiciary, describing the gathering as a timely platform for advancing justice delivery across the region.

The Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, also addressed the conference, reaffirming the judiciary’s commitment to institutional integrity and the role of women judges in shaping a more equitable legal order.

A welcome address was delivered by the President of the Court of Appeal and NAWJN President, Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem, who set the tone for the deliberations by situating the conference within the broader mandate of the IAWJ to promote judicial independence, gender equity and professional excellence.

The Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi SAN, and the FCT Minister, Ezenwo Nyesom Wike, also spoke at the opening ceremony, lending executive backing to the judiciary-focused gathering.

Plenary sessions covered a range of issues critical to judicial development on the continent. Participants examined the theme “Judiciary as a Catalyst for Social Change: Implementing the IAWJ Principles,” interrogating how courts across Africa can serve as active instruments of societal transformation rather than passive arbiters of disputes.

Another session focused on “Nurturing and Mentoring the Next Generation of African Women Judges,” with discussions centred on building pipelines of competent female judicial officers who can navigate the unique pressures of the bench while upholding the rule of law.

The conference also featured an “Interactive Comparative Conversation and Reflections on the Judiciary as a Catalyst for Social Change,” during which judges from various African jurisdictions shared experiences and drew lessons from comparative judicial practice.

The IAWJ African Regional Conference provided a rare opportunity for women on the bench across the continent to network, share jurisprudential insights and reaffirm their collective commitment to a judiciary that is not only independent and impartial but also sensitive to the lived realities of the communities it serves.

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