The International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA-Ghana) is a non-profit nonpartisan organization committed to addressing discriminatory practices and promoting and protecting the rights of women and children in Ghana. FIDA-Ghana was created in 1968 by a coalition of Ghanaian women lawyers who sought to use the law to improve the lives of women and children. In 1985, FIDA-Ghana established the first legal aid service in Ghana for women and children. These services have now been extended to men. Volunteer lawyers offer counseling, settlement, mediation and court representation to indigent clients across the country.
In 2011 UNESCO said of the organization: “The quality of the work of the IFWL, a professional organization whose geographical extension is fair and representativeness relatively balanced, is undoubted. Admitted to Category C in 1961, it has co-operated with UNESCO since 1953 in the context of the consultative arrangements. It received a financial contribution from UNESCO for organizing the international congress of lawyers (1989). Its co-operation with UNESCO, which is operational in nature, has slackened in the last few years. It might consider drawing closer to NGOs that operate in similar fields.
Achievements
- FIDA-GHANA established the first legal aid programme in Ghana, long before the state-run legal aid programme was initiated
- FIDA-GHANA has spearheaded several law reforms to ensure the existence of gender sensitive legislation to benefit women.
- FIDA-GHANA has provided a haven for distressed women, mothers and children who previously did not know where to seek assistance for legal problems.
- FIDA-GHANA through its clinics, seminar and workshops has created awareness nationwide, among women and the populace of their rights and obligations and has generated among them the will and the courage to stand for their rights
- Strengthening our work in the area of improving protective measures for women and girls with disabilities under the gender inclusion and voices on equality sustained (GIVES) project with support from STAR Ghana.
- Application of protection and occupation orders under the domestic violence act to protect women survivors of gender-based violence under the Sustained Actions on Violence Enhanced (SAVE) project in collaboration with OSIWA.
- The use of SMS platforms has provided a means to test new approaches to strengthen accountability of justice services and the empowerment of citizens, particularly WLHIV, women and girls living with disabilities to improve their justice journeys.
- The GIVES project has generated lessons on how basic technology can empower differently able groups to report legal challenges to state actors and receive prompt responses.
- With the generous support of STAR Ghana, FIDA is breaking new grounds in also ensuring that the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU) is able to document cases recorded by GESI groups to determine the extent and nature of violence that they are confronted with.