Chima Azubuike
A legal practitioner and GREBS Fellow, Mwalin Naomi-Abdu, on Sunday called for stronger enforcement of laws protecting women’s rights, particularly in the areas of inheritance, protection from violence and access to justice.
Speaking to mark International Women’s Day 2026, Naomi-Abdu said many women continue to suffer injustice despite existing legal protections such as the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act.
She noted that the 2026 theme, “Rights. Justice. Action. For All Women and Girls,” alongside the campaign message “Give to Gain,” should inspire concrete actions that translate laws into real protection for women and girls.
“For too long, women have carried families, built homes and invested decades into marriages and communities, only to be left without inheritance, protection or dignity when a marriage ends or when a husband or father dies,” she said.
According to her, cases of women being denied property or forced out of family homes remain common in many communities.
“We continue to hear painful stories of wives who gave everything to a household but were sent away with nothing, and daughters who were denied their rightful inheritance by those claiming customary privilege,” Abdu said.
She also expressed concern over the rising cases of violence against women, stressing that legal frameworks already in place must be properly implemented.
“These injustices persist despite the domestication of the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Law and other legal protections. It is time for our communities to move from words to action,” she added.
Naomi-Abdu urged governments and justice institutions to ensure the full enforcement of laws protecting women and to remove barriers preventing women from accessing justice.
“Every woman and girl must be able to claim her legal rights to property, inheritance, and livelihood without fear, stigma or intimidation,” she said.
She further called for accountability for those who violate women’s rights and emphasized the need for timely support for survivors of violence.
“Perpetrators and those who deny women their rights must be held accountable, while survivors should have access to timely legal, medical, and psychosocial support,” she stated.
The lawyer also appealed to community and religious leaders to reject harmful cultural practices that deny women their rights.
“Community and religious leaders must publicly support women’s rights, reject customs that deny women inheritance or shelter, and champion fairness in families and congregations,” she said.
She equally urged families to play a role in safeguarding women’s rights.
“Families must protect the rights of their daughters and wives. When women are empowered and treated fairly, society as a whole benefits,” Naomi-Abdu said.
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