PROMOTING GENDER JUSTICE IN NIGERIA: LEGAL EMPOWERMENT AND ACCESS TO JUSTICE INITIATIVES

Abstract

This paper examined legal empowerment and access to justice for women in Nigeria. It
highlighted the historical and socio-legal barriers that hindered women from fully exercising their rights,
including discriminatory laws, patriarchal norms, and limited legal literacy. The paper employed a
doctrinal methodology, critically analysing statutes, case law, and relevant literature to assess the legal
framework governing women’s rights and access to justice. The paper found that while progressive
legislation existed, practical challenges such as inadequate legal aid, procedural delays, and societal
stigma significantly constrained women’s ability to seek redress. It concluded that legal empowerment for
Nigerian women remained limited by both structural and cultural factors, despite formal recognition of
their rights. The paper recommended enhanced legal awareness campaigns, strengthened legal aid
institutions, reforms in discriminatory customary practices, and the enforcement of gender-sensitive
policies to improve women’s access to justice and promote equality before the law.