CONFERENCE OF AFRICAN WOMEN LAWYERS OPENS IN ACCRA

Women's rights advocates have been asked to put in their maximum to make the practice of human rights a way of life as the 21st century approaches. This remark was made by the Vice-Chairperson of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, (CEDAW), Dr.. Charlotte Abaka, at the Fifth African Regional Conference of the Federation of Women Lawyers currently taking place in Accra. Dr.. Abaka, who spoke on the topic "Practical Strategies of the Full Implementation of CEDAW" said the convention obliges governments to ensure that women's rights and freedoms are not discriminated against. It also signifies that legal guarantees must not only be enshrined, but also inforced.

Dr. Abaka, therefore, made a number of suggestions to speed up the implementation of the convention. These include translating the text of the convention into a simple language which can be understood and used by all. The involvement of NGO's in the Preparation of State Parties reports to CEDAW, Ratification in the entire region and adopting the convention into domestic laws. Dr.. Abaka asked the lawyers to study the optional protocol to the convention and advocate its ratification when it is adopted. The Immediate Past Attorney General of Enugu State in Nigeria, Mrs.. Justina Offiah, told the participants that as lawyers, they should not be ignorant of the law, since ignorance of it is very defeating. Another presenter, a Gender and Development Consultant, Mrs.. Elizabeth Akpalu, asked FIDA to collaborate with medical, paramedical and other bodies, who come into direct contact with women and children whose rights are abused, to have an accurate date of them. She also recommended that FIDA chapters should accept the challenge to evolve strategies for the implementation of the Beijing Platform of Action to effect changes in women's status in their countries. End.