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FIDA Africa

About FIDA Africa

FIDA – WHO WE ARE

We are the International Federation of Women Lawyers, FIDA.

FIDA is the acronym for “Federación Internacionale Dé Abogadas” which is the Spanish version of our organization’s name. FIDA was founded in 1944 in Mexico by a group of seven women lawyers from Cuba, El Salvador, Mexico, Puerto Rico and United States of America and has expanded to over seventy countries in all the regions of the world, Africa inclusive.

FIDA is a Non-Governmental, Non-Profit Organization made up of women called to the practice of Law in various jurisdictions across the world. At the global level, FIDA has a consultative status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations (ECOSOC) while FIDA Africa has an Observer Status with the African Union, at the continental level.

MISSION: FIDA’s mission is primarily the promotion, protection, preservation and enhancement of the rights, interests  and well-being of women and children through the employment of legal frameworks, advocacy, rights awareness creation, sensitization campaigns and lobbying etc., to ensure that vulnerable groups especially women and children live free from all forms of discrimination, violence, and abuse in the society.

VISION: FIDA envisages a just, peaceful, equitable and egalitarian society where women and children’s rights and interests are guaranteed, and they have the freedom to choose and live their own future.

FIDA’s Objectives Include the following:

  1. To enhance and champion the welfare of women and children, realising that the happiness of the home and strength of the society are dependent on the well-being of women and 
  2. To promote the principles and aims of the United Nations in their legal and social 
  3. To establish friendly international relations based on equality and mutual respect for all 
  4. To promote the study of comparative law.
  5. To proffer advice to the government in all cases of neglect relating to women and 
  6. To advance the opportunities available to women and children in civic life, politics, education, industry, business, and the professions particularly the legal 
  7. To organize women lawyers nationally, regionally, and internationally to mobilize them for an effective strategy towards achieving set 

Main Activities:

FIDA actively pursues, promotes, and organizes projects and programmes revolving around the following priority themes:

  • Women& Children’s Rights, Equality, Development, Education.
  • Eradication of Prostitution & Human Trafficking, Sexual & Gender-based 
  • Abolition of Harmful Traditional Practices including Widowhood 
  • Promotion of Peace & Security and Economic Empowerment of 

In order to actualize her mission and achieve her objectives, FIDA identifies, networks, cooperates and partners with other non-governmental organizations with similar ideals. We also collaborate with governmental agencies and institutions in our engagement.

Some of the Agencies and Government Institutions which FIDA Africa has partnered with in the various countries where FIDA has presence include:

  • The UN Women, World Bank, African Union, ECOWAS Secretariat, DFID, Commonwealth Secretariat, Ford Foundation, S. Embassy, Australian Embassy, Japanese Embassy, French Embassy, European Union, Mc Arthur Foundation, Ministries/Departments/Agencies of Governments & IPAS etc.

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