A legal practitioner and women’s rights advocate, Mwalin Naomi-Abdu, has called for stronger enforcement of laws protecting women and girls, especially in matters of inheritance, property rights and protection from violence.
Naomi-Abdu made the call in a statement signed on Sunday to mark the International Women’s Day 2026, themed “Rights. Justice. Action. For All Women and Girls,” with the campaign message “Give to Gain.”
The advocate who doubles as GREBS Fellow lamented that many women continue to face discrimination and injustice despite existing legal protections.
“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, many women who dedicate their lives to their households are often sent away with nothing, while daughters are sometimes denied access to family property under the guise of customary practices.
“We hear painful stories of wives who have given their all to a household but were sent away with nothing, and daughters turned out of family property by those who claim customary privilege,” she said.
Abdu also expressed concern over the rising cases of violence against women, noting that such injustices persist despite the domestication of the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act and other legal frameworks designed to protect women.
She stressed that the theme of this year’s International Women’s Day should inspire concrete action to ensure women’s rights are respected in communities.
“In communities like ours, this call must move from words to law, and from law to lived reality,” she said.
She urged authorities to ensure that every woman and girl can freely claim her legal rights to property, inheritance and livelihood without fear or stigma.
Naomi-Abdu further called on government and justice institutions to fully enforce existing laws and remove barriers that hinder women from accessing justice.
“We must demand that laws protecting women are fully implemented, that perpetrators and those who deny women their rights are held accountable, and that survivors have access to timely legal, medical and psychosocial support,” she added.
She also appealed to community and religious leaders to support women’s rights and reject harmful cultural practices that deny women inheritance or shelter.
The lawyer further urged families to protect the rights of daughters and wives, stressing that equitable treatment within families remains key to advancing justice for women and girls.
