awla

Congratulations Efua Ghatey, President Elect of Ghana Bar

Dear Madam President Elect,

We, the African Women Lawyers Association (AWLA), extend our warmest

congratulations to you on your historic election as the first female President of the

Ghana Bar. This remarkable achievement shatters glass ceilings and paves the way

for gender parity, aligning with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal

5 and the 2030 Agenda.

Your ascension to this esteemed position marks a new era for the Ghana Bar and sets a commendable precedent for neighboring bars in Africa. We applaud the wisdom of your colleagues in choosing you, Efua Ghartey, to lead with the distinctive perspective and approach that only the feminine touch can bring.

As you embark on this remarkable journey, we express our eagerness to collaborate with your organization in advancing the rule of law and protecting

human rights across Africa. We are confident that your leadership will be marked by unprecedented success and impact.

We wish you, your team, and the Ghana Bar Association a tenure filled with memorable achievements, profound influence, and unwavering dedication to the pursuit of justice.

Please accept our sincerest felicitations and best regards.

Sincerely,

Mandy Demechi Asagba

FICMC, M.I.L.D, MDiv, BL, LL.B

President, African Women Lawyers Association (AWLA)

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY NIGERIA @ 63!!!

ARISE O COMPATRIOTS
Nigerians call obey
To serve our father’s land
With love and strength and faith

 

May the Labour of our heroes past never be in vain

 

O YES ARISE, enough of the crawling, it’s time to walk, it’s time to run with the Nigeria vision, it’s time to recover all our lost glory,

It is time to fix Nigeria and stand TALL in the comity of Nations

It is time to dethrone the rule of rulers and enthrone the Rule of Law

It is time for peace and justice to reign in our land

 

We choose to fix Nigeria today! No longer business as usual. It’s our Father’s Land, We choose to protect our father’s land and release it from every negative grip. Enough of the ‘Jakpa’, Enough of the ‘sidon look’, Enough of ‘settling for the crumbs’…. We are ready to confront our challenges, occupy our space and possess our possessions!

IT’S A NEW DAWN!

Welcome to the Nigeria of our dreams!!!

A Just, egalitarian and prosperous nation.

The Speaking and acting Nigerians

The ‘Soro so ke, mu se’ generation is here!

 

 

Mandy Demechi-Asagba
President
AWLA
October 1, 2023

8 Days Free Legal Clinic At NBA AGC

August 25- September 1, 2023

 

AFRICAN WOMEN LAWYERS ASSOCIATION (AWLA) in collaboration with the NIGERIAN BAR ASSOCIATION (NBA), DUTY SOLICITORS NETWORK (DSN), NATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION (NHRC), LEGAL AID COUNCIL OF NIGERIA, NAPTIP, BRITISH COUNCIL- RoLAC, INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION OF WOMEN LAWYERS (FIDA), LEGAL HUB and other stakeholders are set to provide FREE LEGAL CLINIC to the indigent, marginalised, oppressed and violated at the NBA ANNUAL GENERAL CONFERENCE (AGC)

 

 

 

 

AWLA volunteers to provide free legal services at the upcoming NBA AGC Conference to be held at the MKO Abiola National Stadium in Abuja from the 25th of August to the 1st of September 2023 from 10am daily.

 

 

 

 

DSN will have on ground no less than 30 lawyers who will be joined by the Nigerian Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute and other Human Rights organisations in attending to the general public by providing free legal advice and services.

 

 

 

 

Citizens and residents within Abuja and environs are encouraged to visit the *Free Legal Clinic* tent at the venue of the AGC to speak to a lawyer about their legal issues and get advice on how to resolve the issues.

 

 

 

 

SERVICES TO BE PROVIDED FOR FREE INCLUDE:

 

 

 

 

Human Rights Violations, abuse of office, gender based violence and complaints of human Rights violations generally

 

Marriage and matrimonial disputes

 

Domestic Violence and Child Rights issues

 

Child Custody and maintenance

 

Contracts

 

Landlord and Tenant matters

 

Alternative Dispute Resolutions: Mediation and Reconciliation services

 

Starting a new business Incorporations and business registrations

 

Employer/Employee Disputes

 

Other Partner Institutions include:*

 

1. Juritrust Center

 

2. Duty Solicitors Network

 

3. NAPTIP Anti Trafficking Legal Hubs (Edo, Delta and Lagos)

 

4. IIDEA RoLAC Program

 

5. Legal Pool for Justice and Equity Initiative

 

Lawyers are welcome to register as volunteers at the venue to donate at least 1 hour of their time to provide free advice

 

 

 

 

If you are interested in making a donation in cash or kind please contact +234 803 331 4899, +234 817 121 4161 for further directions.

 

Lawyers should please share the eflyers on their respective community platforms

AWLA President commiserates with King Charles III on the demise of his mother the Queen of England Queen Elizabeth II

Amanda Demechi-Asagba world President of the African Women has deeply commiserated with the king of England King Charles III following the death of the Queen Elizabeth II

 

Demechi-Asagba extolled the late Queen for her service to humanity and prayed for the peaceful repose of her soul

 

Her condolence reads:

“It is a fact that history cuts across all ages, therefore, the history of the good deeds of the Queen and her family in Nigeria are well passed down from generations to generations, especially the nation’s victory of self realisation (Independence) under her reign.

 

You are indeed a noble matriarch and I deeply sympathize with the royal family of the Queen on the passing of this great motherly icon.

 

“I am certain she has moved on to the right-hand side of our Lord and I pray that the good Lord be with the rests of the family and grant them the fortitude to bear the loss.

 

“May the reign of the King, King Charles III be a peaceful one.

 

“Thank you for your service and dedication to the people Rest in peace Her Royal Majesty We love you very much and will never forget you

 

LONG LIVE THE KING

AMANDA DEMECHI-ASAGBA

President AWLA and Third Vice President Nigerian Bar Association NBA

AWLA President and NBA Third VP, Amanda Demechi-Asagba congratulates new Chief Justice of Liberia, Justice Sie-A-Nyene Gyapay Yuoh

…Justice Yuoh was the first country rep of AWLA Liberia

 

Global President of the African Women Lawyers Association AWLA and the Third Vice President of the Nigerian Bar Association NBA, Mrs Amanda Demechi-Asagba has congratulated the new Chief Judge of Liberia Justice Sie-A-Nyene Gyapay Yuoh who named CJ by the Liberian senate.

 

The female CJ Yuoh, who is the first country representative of AWLA Liberia, replaces Justice Francis Saye Korkpor, who retired and the exited the bench at the age of 70.

 

According to Demechi-Asagba, it is so heart warming that female lawyers have been blazing the trail and doing gender proud, especially living up the theme of the 2022 International women’s day tagged #Breaking the Bias.

 

“I am so overwhelmed with the news of your recent appointment as CJ of Liberia my great AWLA, and it is my prayer that you will do great exploits in your new capacity as Chief Justice and strive to exemplify quality leadership even as you assume headship of the Liberian bench.

 

“I pray for immense wisdom and courage to effectively discharge this huge task resting on your shoulders.

 

“On behalf of the entire members of AWLA worldwide I say a very big congratulations to you and wish you every good thing you require to “steer the wheels of justice,”

 

Triplenet LawParliament reports that Justice Yuoh becomes the third female chief justice and the first since 2003.

 

One of the two female judges on the Supreme Court at the time was Justice Yuoh.

African Unity Day 2022

African Unity Day: “We must thrive in Unity ” says AWLA President Amanda Demechi-Asagba

 

 

Lagos, May 25, 2022

 

The President of the African Women Lawyers Association (AWLA) worldwide Mrs Amanda Demechi-Asagba has called for the sustenance of unity amongst African nations in a bid to foster cooperation and developement

 

Demechi-Asagba made the call following the commemoration of African Unity Day also known as Africa Day, celebrated on May 25.

 

AWLA reports that May 25 commemorates the founding of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU)

 

The History of African Unity Day dates back to May 25 1963 when the leaders of 32 newly independent African states gathered in Addis Ababa Ethiopia to establish the OAU

 

The OAU is primarily intended to promote unity and cooperation among African states, uphold self-government and respect for territorial boundaries as well as eradication of all forms of disputes

 

Leaders from 30 of the then 32 independent African states therefore, signed a founding charter in Addis Ababa and the OAU was consequently, created to help bring about change, freedom and independence to many African countries

 

Thereafter 21 states joined, with South Africa as the youngest and 53rd member in 1994.

The OAU has since 2002 been renamed the African Union.

 

The African Unity Day It is also popularly known as Africa Day. It replaced the African Liberation Day also called The African Freedom Day and it is observed as a statutory public holiday in Gambia, Ghana, Guinea,Lesotho, Mali, Mauritania, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

 

The change in name to the African Union did not affect the name and date of Africa Day

 

According to Demechi-Asagba, Africa Day is a. day when all African nations are expected to reflect on the struggles of past heroes who fought for the freedom and unity of the African race.

 

‘AWLA enjoins Africans on this day, to reflect on the significance of this struggle by founding fathers who fought for a better tomorrow of all Africans

 

“In the year 2020 17 countries on the African continent celebrated 60 years of independence and this lends credence to the struggle by pan African Advocates who brought this into fruition

 

 

HEROES OF AFRICA

Today we remember and celebrate the heroes of Africa. The foremost heroes of Independence are Kwame Nkrumah (Ghana), Julius Nyerere (Tanganyika, now Tanzania), Léopold Sédar Senghor (Senegal), Nnamdi Azikiwe (Nigeria), and Félix Houphouët-Boigny of the Ivory Coast

 

Nnamdi Azikiwe, Ibrahim Bello, Sardauna of Sokoto, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Tafawa Balewa of Nigeria who all fought for the independence of Nigeria, Chief M.K.O Abiola – the Father of Democracy, Funmilayo Ransome- Kuti a foremost Activist for emancipation and good governance

Hajia Gambo Sawaba and Margaret Ekpo were passionate, bold, courageous and dogged activists and role models.

 

Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana who saw independent Ghana as a spearhead for the liberation of the rest of Africa from colonial rule and Mabel Dove-Danquah, a ‘trail-blazing feminist’ and an outspoken advocate for women’s equality and good governance, Bibi Titi Mohammed from Tanzania.

 

Gregoire Kayibanda of Rwanda, Jomo Kenyatta of Kenya, Hastings Kamuzu Banda of Malawi and Malawi’s first female lawyer Vera Chirwa who endured exile and long years of imprisonment when she, along with others, fell out with president Hastings Kamuzu Banda. Chirwa is a founding member of the Malawi Congress Party, which eventually led the country to win independence. She also founded the League of Malawian Women which did not only fight for the rights of women but was a leading supporter of the resistance against white domination in Malawi. Robert Gabriel Mugabe of Zimbabwe and Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of Liberia who remains Africa’s first elected female president.

 

“We also remember heroes like Nelson Mandela, Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, Miriam Makeba and Helen Suzman of South Africa who gave themselves for the good of their people.

 

 

Fela Aníkúlápó Kuti popularly known as Abami Eda, was a Nigerian fearless, bold and courageous activist,multi-instrumentalist, bandleader, composer, political activist, and Pan-Africanist who used his song to act as a watchdog to executive recklessness and impunity- (songs like Them Kill my Mama, International Thief Thief, Beasts of No Nation, Ikoyi Blindness, No Agreement, Sorrow Tears and Blood, Stand Up, Expensive Shit, Black Excellence, Water No Get Enemy, Original Suffer Head, Roforofo Fight, Yeye De Smell, Gentleman etc). He was one of the greatest Activists prophets and peaceful protesters.

 

Wole Soyinka (Nobel Laureate, Political Activist) whose popular inspirational quote, resonates with me- “The man dies in all who keep silent in the face of tyranny.”, Ken Saro-Wiwa (Writer, Businessman, Environmental Activist)

“I tell you this, I may be dead but my ideas will not die.”to mention a few.

 

Dare to be one of the heroes of Africa by impacting your world positively.

Above are your role models.

“The man dies in all who keep silent in the face of tyranny”

Don’t be left behind in the train of freedom fighters and watchdogs of society.

We must join hands to realize the Africa of our dreams.

 

AFRICA A CONTINENT OF PEACE AND UNITY

 

“Africa is a continent of Peace and Unity and so, this day further brings to our mind, the need to thrive in peace and unity

 

“Our nation Nigeria, being a frontier of peace and unity , epitomises this in its national Anthem where it says in the last stanza …”One nation bound in Freedom, Peace and Unity.

 

“The Nigerian Coat of Arm also signifies Unity and Faith, Peace and Progress. This also portrays Nigeria as a leading force in fostering African Peace and Unity

 

“AWLA therefore, joins hands in upholding the peace and unity of Africa , and we use this opportunity to call for a continued cooperation among African nations, as well as a harmonious relationship to foster development.

 

 

ATTAINING AGENDA 2063

 

With the rising state of insecurity in the world and the war in Ukraine, threatening Africa’s food supplies and food price inflation, We call on the African Union to prioritize Nutrition, security and justice in order to save our nascent growth and development and encourage investments for a more sustainable future in line with Agenda 2063 particularly at ensuring that Africa achieves Aspiration 4 of Agenda 2063 which aspires for “ A peaceful and secure Africa” through the use of mechanisms that promote a dialogue-centred approach to conflict prevention and resolution of conflicts and establishing of a culture of peace and tolerance nurtured in Africa’s children and youth through peace education. The Agenda 2063 flagship initiative of Silencing the Guns by 2020 is at the core of activities being put in place to ensure Africa is a more peaceful and stable continent.

 

To ensure the realisation of its objectives and the attainment of the Pan African Vision of an integrated, prosperous and peaceful Africa, Agenda 2063 was developed as a strategic framework for Africa’s long term socio-economic and integrative transformation.

 

Agenda 2063 calls for greater collaboration and support for African led initiatives to ensure the achievement of the aspirations of African people. There is no better time than now to call on all African leaders to prioritize working towards achieving Agenda 2063 as well as the Sustainable Development Goals( SDGs) Agenda 2030. for a guaranteed safe and prosperous world.

 

Virtual meeting scheduled to hold on the 27th of January

African Women Lawyers Association is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Topic: 6YearStrategicPlan

Time: Jan 27, 2022 04:00 PM Africa/Lagos

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84228804391?pwd=MkNzcDhoOUI3elNZS3E4NmEyTmRnQT09

Meeting ID: 842 2880 4391

Passcode: 070176

One tap mobile

+19292056099,,84228804391#,,,,*070176# US (New York)

+13017158592,,84228804391#,,,,*070176# US (Washington DC)

Dial by your location

+1 929 205 6099 US (New York)

+1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC)

+1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)

+1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)

+1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)

+1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)

Meeting ID: 842 2880 4391

Passcode: 070176

Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/keyVJtY15D

 

 

 

 

2022 Welcome

Dear AWLA Country/ State Rep,

 

 

Compliments of the season to you, your lovely family and AWLANs in your Country/State.

 

 

Trust you are all well and ready for pleasant surprises packaged for you this year- rewards for your sacrifices for humanity.

 

We  say a big thank you for being a part of this great Association poised to end indignity to women and children. We implore you to join us take a bold step to impact more women and children this year.

 

Please be informed of a virtual meeting scheduled to hold on the 27th of January 2022 at 4pm to Roll out AWLA 6 year Strategic Plan. Zoom details will be forwarded shortly.

 

Best regards

 

 

Mandy Asagba

 

President