International Federation of Women Lawyers

The International Federation of Women Lawyers (IFWL), in Spanish Federación Internacional de Abogadas (FIDA), is an international non-governmental organization (NGO) that enhances the status of women and children by providing legal aid, legal literacy and education programs, and through advocacy, law reform, research and publications.[1]

Not to be confused with International Federation of Women in Legal and Juridical Careers, founded in Paris in 1928.
International Federation of Women Lawyers
Formation1944
TypeProfessional association
PurposeTo promote legal professionalism
Official language
Spanish, English
President
Carolina Rios Villota
Websitewww.fidafederation.org

History and activities

The Federacion Internacional de Abogadas was established in 1944 in Mexico City. It obtained United Nations Consultative status in 1954.[2] It works with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the International Labour Organization (ILO). FIDA publishes La Abogada Newsletter four times a year in Spanish and English, for members only. Every two years FIDA publishes La Abogada Internacional in English, French and Spanish.[3]

In 2011 UNESCO said of the organization: "The quality of the work of the IFWL, a professional organization whose geographical extension is fair and representativeness relatively balanced, is undoubted. Admitted to Category C in 1961, it has co-operated with UNESCO since 1953 in the context of the consultative arrangements. It received a financial contribution from UNESCO for organizing the international congress of lawyers (1989). Its co-operation with UNESCO, which is operational in nature, has slackened in the last few years. It might consider drawing closer to NGOs that operate in similar fields."[3]

Presidents

Before 1960, Luisa A. Perez Peroso, and Rosalind Goodrich Bates both served terms as president of FIDA.[4] (Note: The dates below reflect the conference each woman presided over; they were generally elected at the previous conference.)

Conference year President Host country of conference Image
1960[5] Josefina Phodaca-Ambrosio The Philippines
1962 Esther Talamantes Mexico
1964 Violet Alva India
1967 Angie Brooks Liberia
1969 Mehrangiz Manouchehrian Iran
1971 Filomena Quintana Chile
1973 Mrs. Beng Oon Malaysia
1975 Helga Stödter West Germany
1977 J. Aduke Alakija Nigeria
1979 Dora Aberlin United States
1982 Ana Lucia Garcia Venezuela
1984 Daphne Anne Kok Australia
1986 Anca Postelnicu Belgium
1988 Rose Taylor Ghana
1990 Angela Cuevas de Dolmetsch Colombia
1992 Eugenia Charles Bahamas
1994 Nicole Huguenin-Gonon France
1996 Elsie Leung Hong Kong
1998 Surinder Kapila Kenya
2000 Mary Nelson Wilburn United States
2002 Alvarina Miranda de Almeida Brazil
2005 Puan Sri Saraswathy Devi Malaysia
2008 Pirkko K. Koskinen

Giovanna Chiara

 Italy
2011 Stella Obiageli Ugboma Nigeria
2014[6] Sheela Anish India
2017 Jethlyn A. Burrows Bahamas
2020[7] Shadhana Gunaratnam Switzerland
2023 Carolina Rios Villota Colombia

Regional affiliates

As of 2011 there were affiliated organizations and individuals in 73 countries:[3]

  • Cameroon, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Sudan, Togo
  • Argentina, Bermuda, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Netherlands Antilles, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Trinidad and Tobago, Uruguay, United States of America, Venezuela
  • Bangladesh, Hong Kong/China, India, Indonesia, Iran - Islamic Republic of, Israel, Japan, Republic of Korea, Lebanon, Malaysia, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Taiwan/China, Thailand
  • Australia, New Zealand
  • Belgium, Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

Ghana

FIDA Ghana was founded in 1974. The association set up the first legal aid program in Ghana in 1985, mainly targeting indigent women and children. To help people understand the law, FIDA Ghana has developed booklets that present some of the existing laws affecting the status of women and children in simple English, and in translations into the Dagbani, Ewe, Ga, and Akan languages.[8]

Kenya

FIDA Kenya was formed in 1985 after the third United Nations World Conference on Women, which was held in Nairobi. FIDA Kenya was affiliated to the Federation International De Abogadas until 1993. As of 2011 FIDA Kenya had over 600 members.[9] FIDA Kenya prepared a "shadow report" on the Kenyan Government's 2007 report on the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women. The report questioned the accuracy of the government's report and raised concerns about lack of government commitment to the advancement of women.[10]

Nigeria

FIDA-Nigeria was founded in May 1982 to promote the welfare of women and children and remove harmful laws. It provides free legal services to women and children, provides education and publications to help explain the law, and runs seminars, workshops and conferences.

Pamphlets cover subjects such as juvenile delinquency, rights of women, forced and early marriages and the effects of female circumcision.[11]

United States

FIDA USA was re-established in September 2020. It publishes news, articles, and journal articles discussing the rights of women and children in the US. FIDA USA participates in conferences and events organized under the agenda of the United Nations.[12]

References
  1. "International Federation of Women Lawyers". Global Hand. Retrieved 2011-09-27.
  2. "Who we are?". International Federation of Women Lawyers. Retrieved 2011-09-26.
  3. "International Federation of Women Lawyers". UNESCO. Archived from the original on 2012-04-22. Retrieved 2011-09-27.
  4. Mason, Nadene (1958-08-22). "Law Group Hears Rocketeer". The Los Angeles Times. p. 29. Retrieved 2021-11-24 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. FIDA. "List of Presidents and Conventions Since 1960" (PDF).
  6. "Sheela Anish is FIDA Chief". The New Indian Express. 4 December 2011. Retrieved 2021-11-24.
  7. "36th FIDA Convention". FIDA. 31 January 2018. Retrieved 2022-01-07.
  8. "International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), Ghana". Friends of the United Nations. Archived from the original on 2012-04-04. Retrieved 2011-09-27.
  9. "About FIDA". FIDA Kenya. Retrieved 2011-09-27.
  10. "A SHADOW REPORT TO THE 5TH AND 6TH COMBINED REPORT OF THE GOVERNMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF KENYA, ON THE INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION ON THE ELIMINATION OF ALL FORMS OF DISCRIMINATION AGAINST WOMEN (CEDAW)" (PDF). FIDA Kenya. 23 July – 10 August 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 October 2011. Retrieved 2011-09-27.
  11. "International Federation of Women Lawyers - Nigeria (FIDA)". Wiser Earth. Retrieved 2011-09-27.
  12. "FIDA USA LinkedIn profile".
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