Federation of Women Lawyers–Kenya

The Federation of Women Lawyers–Kenya (FIDA Kenya) is a gender rights non-profit established in 1985 after the 3rd UN Conference on Women, which was held in Nairobi, with a mission to promote women’s individual and collective power to claim their rights in all spheres of life.[1][2]

FIDA-Kenya comprises over 1,400 women advocates, lawyers, and law students who have, for 40 years of the NGO’s existence, offered free legal aid to women in Kenya and their children and strived to ensure that laws in Kenya take women’s needs into account. The organisation has received recognition as a critical partner in community, government, and UN projects, especially for their model of training women to self-represent in court.[3]

FIDA-Kenya handles litigation on custody and maintenance matters, land and matrimonial property disputes, labor and economic rights. The non-profit also engages in advocacy around women in political participation, Sexual Reproductive Health Rights, Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), Child and Forced Marriage, and Sexual Offences.[4]

History

Lawyers Lilian Waiiya Mwaura, and Martha Koome founded FIDA-Kenya with a simple goal to empower women to understand their legal rights.[5][6] Monica Mbaru, Winnie Kamande, Violet Mavisi, Judy Thongori, Jane Anyango, Joyce Majiwa, Amb Jean Kamau, Njoki Ndung’u, Rosemary Mwenja, Abida Aroni, Ann Mwululu, Alice Wahome, Martha Koome, Nancy Baraza, and Prof Betty Murungi were members of the FIDA-Kenya council in 1998.[7][8]

FIDA-Kenya has historically been at the forefront of fighting domestic abuse in Kenya and providing legal representation to women in such cases.[9] To get free legal aid from FIDA-Kenya , beneficiaries can either present themselves physically in a FIDA-Kenya office, request assistance by phone, or contact the organisation through their social media channels.

References

  1. ^ Micheni, Brian Mugendi (January 2020). "The role of various governmental and non-governmental machinery in the elimination of inequalities faced by Kenyan women and the empowerment of women in Kenya". International Journal of Gender Studies in Developing Societies. 3 (4): 314–326. doi:10.1504/IJGSDS.2020.109233. ISSN 2052-0352.
  2. ^ Nations, United. "World Conference to Review and Appraise the Achievements of the United Nations Decade for Women". United Nations. Retrieved 2025-08-29.
  3. ^ "How Kenyan women are fighting for themselves in court". openDemocracy. Retrieved 2025-08-29.
  4. ^ "Fida-Kenya launches #VoteADada campaign". Daily Nation. 2021-09-07. Retrieved 2025-08-29.
  5. ^ "Fida founder on sacrifices to 'have it all' - Business Daily". www.businessdailyafrica.com. Retrieved 2025-08-29.
  6. ^ Dawuni, J. Jarpa, ed. (2025). "African Women Judges". Gender, Development and Social Change. doi:10.1007/978-3-031-72275-2. ISSN 2730-7328.
  7. ^ Owino, Kamau Muthoni and Winfrey. "Great women who set the wheels of justice in motion". The Standard. Retrieved 2025-08-29.
  8. ^ Dawuni, J. Jarpa (2025), Dawuni, J. Jarpa (ed.), "Who Will Sing Their Songs? Women Judges and the Power of Judicial Storytelling", African Women Judges: Storytelling as Judicial Freedom, Cham: Springer Nature Switzerland, pp. 1–30, doi:10.1007/978-3-031-72275-2_1, ISBN 978-3-031-72275-2, retrieved 2025-08-29
  9. ^ "On the Radar: FIDA-Kenya to address escalating cases of sexual violence during protests". The Star. Retrieved 2025-08-29.
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