The interested parties urge the cultural change to increase women’s leadership in the legal profession

Legal experts and supporters of the genre have asked for a systemic review of the legal profession of Nigeria to allow “a cultural transformation that gives priority to inclusion and national development”.

This was the nucleus of the discussions in a meeting of the round table focused on the advancement of women’s leadership in the legal sector, convened by the Women Advocates Research and Documentation Center (Wardc) in collaboration with the Empatto.

Report on the projects that the speakers have identified the rooted patriarchal norms and the rigid institutional structures as important obstacles to the upper mobility of women in the legal field.

The founding director of Wardc, Dr. Abita Akiyodo-folabi, described the legal profession as a space dominated by men who must be redefined to reflect gender equity.

“The institution must evolve. We need a change in the culture and in the system of values that currently limits the inclusion of women. When women guide within the legal profession, not only the law does not change, model society and feeds national progress,” he said.

He underlined the need for institutional reforms that respond to the specific gender needs of legal professionals, observing that these shifts would create a more qualifying environment for women to thrive.

To the corroboration of this, Mary Wandia, regional director of Africa del Co-impatto, underlined that the problem is not simply a numerical sub-representation, but also the accommodated attitudes incorporated within the legal institutions. “Patriarchal mentality are not exclusive for men; they are integrated into systems. These mentality influence the way the institutions operate and often marginalize women,” he observed.

Wandia has supported intentional efforts to remodel internal policies and encourage tutoring opportunities that will support women to enter leadership roles. “Women must be encouraged to speak and occupy space. But the institutions must first be designed to support them in doing it,” he said.

Academic and legal expert, prof. Adefunke Bamgbose, who is deputy chancellor of the University of Ibadan, asked for stronger support systems for women in the profession.

“Many women have internalized the social limits, but they must be shown that they are capable. It is not a matter of competence, it is a question of confidence,” he added, adding that the tutoring by female senior lawyers is already making the difference.

Highlighting the wider social context, Danladi Plang, head of the Nigeria international idea program, underlined that inequality in the legal profession reflects the wider social issues. “We are not immune to the structures that perpetuate injustice. The legal sector is conservative and this makes it even more difficult for disadvantaged groups to find their foot,” he said.

Plang also urged men to actively participate in the dismantling of systemic barriers and encouraged women in leadership positions to pave the way for others. “The women who break through must leave an inheritance that opens the wider door for those who follow them,” he concluded.