Legal Services

1. INTRODUCTION:

1. ~ 1.1 The Federal Ministry of Women Affairs is primarily responsible for providing policy direction to Government with a view to creating safer “space” for women, children, persons with disabilities and the elderly, gender mainstreaming and the empowerment of women and the vulnerable.

2. ~ 1.2 The Ministry is the key machinery of the Government in the area of gender-related issues.

3. ~ 1.3 In order to demonstrate its commitment to best practices, the Federal Government of Nigeria has ratified and in some cases domesticated some United Nations Conventions in line with section 5 Sub Section 12 of the Constitution which states inter-alia that “No treaty between the Federation and any other country shall have the force of law to the extent to which any such treaty has been enacted into law by the National Assembly”. Some municipal laws are also enacted to provide core values such as equality in terms of space, opportunities, choices and access in addition to protecting and enhancing the dignity of women, children and the vulnerable in the society.

4. ~ 1.4 The Convention and Laws include but not limited to:

   • ~ a) Convention on the Right of the Child, 1989 and its optional protocol which have been domesticated; and
   • ~ b) Violence Against Persons Prohibition Act, 2015 which is operational in the Federal Capital Territory and some States of the Federation.

2. FUNCTIONS AND DUTIES OF THE LEGAL SERVICES UNIT

The Legal Unit is the Official Desk of the Honourable Attorney – General of the Federation of Nigeria, the Chief Legal Officer of the Federation. Consequently, it renders legal services on all matters as they relate to the relationships between the Ministry, Development Partners and others. These include inter alia:

• ~ Drafting and Vetting of Agreements and other legal documents involving the Ministry;
• ~ Advising and responding to documents having legal implications when referred to the Unit;
• ~ Writing Legal opinions on issues/documents referred to the Unit;
• ~ Giving legal advice to the Honourable Minister, Permanent Secretary, all Directors and Heads of Units of the Ministry;
• ~ Assisting in monitoring the Ministry’s Programmes/Projects and ensuring compliance with the legal aspects;
• ~ Liaising with the Federal Ministry of Justice regularly on the Ministry’s activities;
• ~ Liaising with other MDAs of the Federal Government on legal issues where the Ministry is involved;
• ~ Attending Management, Senior/Top Management and other meetings of the Ministry;
• ~ Being the custodian of the Ministry’s official seal;
• ~ Negotiation of National/International Agreements;
• ~ Litigation; and
• ~ Any other duties referred to the Unit from time to time.

3. THE LEGAL UNIT RENDERS LEGAL SERVICES TO THE FOLLOWING:

1. ~ 3.1 The Programme and Service Departments of the Ministry:-

   • ~ a) Women and Gender Department;
   • ~ b) Economic Services;
   • ~ c) Child Department;
   • ~ d) Planning, Research and Statistics;
   • ~ e) Finance and Accounts;
   • ~ f) Human Resources Management;
   • ~ g) General Services; and
   • ~ h) Procurement.

2. ~ 3.2 Custodian of Legal Instruments and Signed Contract Agreements.

4. MEMBERSHIP OF THE FOLLOWING COMMITTEES:

1. ~ Inter-Ministerial Committee on African Commission on Human and Persons Rights, Federal Ministry of Justice;
2. ~ Federal Justice Reform Sector Coordination Committee, Federal Ministry of Justice;
3. ~ Committee on the Family Courts at the Federal Capital Territory, Federal Ministry of Justice;
4. ~ International Humanitarian Law Committee in Partnership with the Red Cross and Red Crescent (ICRC), Federal Ministry of Justice; and
5. ~ Committee on Treaty Reporting, Federal Ministry of Justice. All of these committees have other MDA’s as members and are fully represented.
6. ~ Committee on the Fourth Cycle for the Universal Periodic review of Nigeria.