In furtherance of her advocacy for gender equality and justice for women in the society, Wife of Olubadan of Ibadanland, Queen Rashidat Olayinka Ladoja, joined her legal professional colleagues under the umbrella of African Women Lawyers Association, AWLA, for its 2025 International Conference.
Queen Ladoja who is a trained Lawyer, an Advocate of Gender Equality, a Campaigner against Domestic Violence and Fighter of Injustice participated in the 5-Days Conference with her other International Learned colleagues, with a view to putting an end to abuse of women’s rights in Africa.
The Conference which took place between 18th and 22nd of November, 2025, was held in Cotonou, Benin Republic with prominent women lawyers, activists, policymakers, legal professionals and Advocates of gender equality and sustainable development in attendance.
While speaking, the President of African Women Lawyers Association, AWLA, Mrs Mandy Demechi-Asagba, Esq, commended Women Lawyers across the African Countries for their dedication, commitment and resilience to live-saving support for women facing injustice and domestic violence.
Mrs Demechi-Asagba appealed to members of the Association to stay committed to the advocacy and struggle, maintaining that, the quest for gender equality is ongoing and essential.
On her part, the Founder of the African Women Lawyers Association, AWLA, Hon. Betty Mould Iddrisu noted that, many women in Africa still lacked access to knowledge of their rights, hence, it prompted the lawyers within the Association to set up legal aid services in the interest of the concerned women across the continent.
Speakers at the AWLA International Conference 2025 submitted that, absence of clear legal protection for women in most African Countries remains one of the challenges affecting justice and stability across the Continent, adding that, there should be laws that will safeguard rights of women in the interest of justice and peace.
The theme of this year’s Conference is “From Margins to Mainstream: The African Woman in Unfettered Sustainable Development”.
In attendance were, Country Representatives from Benin Republic, Liberia, Nigeria, Cameroon, Ghana, Guinea and others.
Speakers and Discussants at the Event included Professor Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, Legal Luminary, Wemimo Ogunde, Professor Ayodele Atsenuwa, Professor Afolabi Lesi, Professor Yemisi Bamgbose and Professor Idiat Akande.