Adebayo Adenrele
The Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, has called for stronger legal frameworks and effective enforcement mechanisms to protect women and children from emerging forms of abuse, particularly cyberbullying, online harassment, sexual exploitation and digital blackmail.
Bamidele made the call while speaking at the 2026 Law Week of the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), Ekiti State Branch, held under the theme, “Justice in a Changing World: Responding to New Challenges Affecting Women and Children.”
He said the rapid advancement of technology had introduced new threats to the safety, dignity and fundamental rights of women and children, stressing that existing legal frameworks must evolve to address emerging forms of violence that transcend geographical boundaries and exploit weaknesses in the justice system.
According to him, children are increasingly exposed to online predators, while women are becoming targets of digital intimidation, fabricated sexual images, impersonation and the non-consensual circulation of intimate photographs.
The Senate Leader said the challenges facing women and children had become more complex due to social, economic, political, technological and environmental transformations, including artificial intelligence, digitalisation, climate change, insecurity and changing family structures.
He noted that despite progress in human rights legislation and public awareness, women continued to face gender-based violence, economic exclusion, inadequate healthcare and under-representation in decision-making, while children remained vulnerable to abuse, trafficking, child labour, early marriage, educational deprivation, malnutrition and digital exploitation.
Bamidele identified poverty, unemployment, gender discrimination, educational inequalities and inadequate social protection as factors worsening the vulnerabilities of women and children in Nigeria.
He said women, who contribute significantly to family stability, economic productivity, public service and national development, deserved equal opportunities and adequate protection, while children required an enabling environment to survive, learn, develop and thrive.
On gender-based violence, he observed that domestic violence, rape, sexual harassment, human trafficking, harmful traditional practices and technology-facilitated abuse remained serious threats to women’s safety and dignity.
He explained that fear of stigmatisation, economic dependence, inadequate shelters, limited access to legal assistance and weak enforcement often prevented survivors from reporting abuses and obtaining justice.
The Senate Leader also expressed concern over the economic challenges confronting women, particularly those engaged in informal employment and unpaid care work, noting that limited access to credit, land ownership, business financing, digital skills and decent employment continued to restrict their advancement.
He said inflation, unemployment and the rising cost of living disproportionately affected widows, women with disabilities, single mothers and low-income households, calling for affordable childcare, maternity protection, social insurance and access to productive resources.
Bamidele further identified inadequate healthcare, maternal mortality, insufficient emergency obstetric services, reproductive health complications and limited mental health support as major concerns requiring urgent attention, particularly in rural communities.
Also speaking, the Chief Judge of Ekiti State, Justice Lekan Ogunmoye, acknowledged the need for legislative reforms, noting that some existing laws required review at both the federal and state levels to address contemporary realities.
In her welcome address, the Chairperson of FIDA, Ekiti State Branch, Abayomi Olowoyomi-Richards, reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to promoting, protecting and preserving the rights of women and children through advocacy, legal representation, public enlightenment and strategic partnerships.
She said the Law Week provided an opportunity for stakeholders to examine emerging challenges affecting vulnerable groups and develop collective responses capable of strengthening access to justice.
