By Richard Thomas
The immediate past Chairperson of Oyo State chapter of Federacion Internationalé De Abogadas (FIDA), Princess Olusola Olayinka Sulayman has called for the support of the state government and Philanthropists to enable the association discharge it task of protecting and preserving the right of indigents women and children in the state.
Princess Sulayman made the call in an interview with Oodua News in Ibadan while speaking on the activities and success of the association over the years.
According to her, FIDA service is probono, hence the call for support from government and highly spirited people to enable the association discharge in its tasks of helping indigents women and children in our society.
According to her, FIDA has played tremendous roles in ensuring women get adequate protection from violence, adding that, “As a body of professional women, FIDA is a non-profit, non-political, voluntary association of women called to the practice of law with the primary role of protecting, promoting and preserving the rights of women and children.
“FIDA enhances, protects, promotes and preserves the rights and welfare of indigent women and children, realizing that their well-being depends on the happiness of the home and the strength of the society.
“At FIDA, we provide free legal services, counselling sessions, alternative dispute resolution services, advocacy for legislations that promote the advancement and protection of children and women.
“We also facilitate the strengthening of institutional and technical capacities to improve access to justice for indigent women and children. We do a lot to better the lots of women and children and we are committed to the course.
“Due to the nature of our service which is probono, we usually task ourselves or reach out to rich individuals, Philanthropist and members of the public for support, we do not take money for the service we render for women and children.”
According to her, fund has been a major challenge facing them in the course of discharging their service, hence the call for support, adding that they sometimes approach senior colleagues for support.
“We also go to members of the public for assistance and we also approach people who have money to support, however, we use the rest of the money we recieve to support the indigents women and children.
Speaking on their activities and outreach exercise, Princess Sulayman said: ” We embark on outreaches to market places, church, mosques, even schools for sensitization and to let the people know what we do, all of these have really helped us do well and achieve our aims and objectives.”
She said the association needs collaboration with government in order to enable it reach out to more women and children in the state, adding that some of the cases of the indigents women and children require much funds for adjudication.
“We have collaboration with Correctional Centres, Immigration, Security agencies and others. To this end, we also do trainings at local and international levels as part of activities to improve the efficiency of women lawyers.
Recalled that FIDA had taken up so many cases including that of a 14 years old girl in Kaduna who was manipulated into prostitution, and was delivered and reunited to her family.
