FIDA-Executive Council 2024-2027

The current FIDA Committee is composed of lawyers whose distinguished careers have been devoted to the advancement of women’s and children’s rights. Their leadership does not merely interpret the law; it elevates it into a living instrument of equity, dignity, and substantive justice.

Ezinwa Okoroafor, a committed advocate for gender rights, women’s empowerment, sustainable development, and good governance, is a Life Member and Global President of the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA). She has served FIDA at various times at national, regional, and global levels and is Chair of the Advisory Board of the Nigerian Women Trust Fund and a Life Patron of the Society of Women in Taxation.

She is a lawyer with extensive multi‑sector experience in governance, public policy, and institutional leadership, and currently serves as General Counsel and Secretary to the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA), Nigeria’s Sovereign Wealth Fund.

Called to the Nigerian Bar in 1986, she has served the Nigerian Bar Association in various capacities, including as an inaugural Council Member of its Women Forum. She holds a fellowship of the Institute of Chartered Mediators and Conciliators (Nigeria). She is also a Member of the International Bar Association, the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (UK) Nigeria Branch, and the Chartered Institute of Directors (UK and Nigeria). She is also an Associate of the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators of Nigeria and a Council Member of the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria.

Ezinwa currently serves as a Member of the Abia State Global Economic Advisory Council (Nigeria) and was a Delegate to the 2014 Nigerian National Conference. Her contributions have earned several recognitions in her local community and beyond, reflecting her commitment to meaningful and inclusive impact.

Laura Nyirinkindi is a specialist in Gender, Governance and Rule of Law. She has over 23 years of experience providing gender-responsive technical services to diverse institutions, including African governments, civil society, and the private sector. She has worked as a consultant in strategic planning, training, evaluation, research, organisational development and institutional capacity building. Laura has worked in 35 countries in Africa, Asia, Europe and America, enabling her to acquire comparative and multicultural experiences. She has undertaken with the African Union Commission, the European Union, the Africa Peer Review Mechanism, the World Bank, UNICEF, UNHCR, ILO-IOM, UN Women, the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, UNDP, SIDA, UNHCR and UNAIDS.

Laura is the Senior Managing Consultant at Pro Initiatives Agency, a firm she founded in 1999. She is currently also the Chair of the UN Working Group on Discrimination Against Women and Girls of the Human Rights Council.

Charisse Anita Brown is the first female and the first Bahamian to serve as Chief Executive Officer of The Grand Bahama Development Company Limited, a leading real estate and development enterprise with a portfolio exceeding 70,000 acres on the island of Grand Bahama.
Mrs. Brown holds an LLB Honours Degree in Law from the University of East Anglia, Norwich, England, and was called to the Bahamas Bar as Counsel and Attorney-at-Law on February 28, 1992. She is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb) and currently serves as Chair of the CIArb Bahamas Branch.
A committed advocate for gender equality, Mrs. Brown serves as Secretary of the International Federation of Female Lawyers (FIDA) and is deeply engaged in advancing the status of women and girls in education, civic life, politics, and the professions. She is a Director of the FIDA Grand Bahama Chapter, having previously served as its President, and is a former Council Member of the Bahamas Bar Association.
Beyond her professional achievements, Mrs. Brown is devoted to her faith and community. She has been a lifelong member of First Baptist Church, Freeport, Bahamas, where she serves as Servant Leader for the Children’s Church Ministry.
She is married to Alexander Brown and is the proud mother of three sons: Quinn, Liam, and Rhys.
Born in The Bahamas and rooted in Grand Bahama, Mrs. Brown is dedicated to fostering sustainable economic growth while preserving the island’s natural beauty and quality of life. Her leadership reflects a vision of balanced development that honours both progress and heritage

Inime Chinwenwo Aguma is a legal practitioner and Principal Partner at Aguma & Co, Legal Practitioners, Emmanuel Chinwenwo Aguma SAN Chambers. She was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1990 and began her legal career after completing her National Youth Service at the Cross Rivers State Ministry of Justice, Calabar. She subsequently worked at S.J. Ofoluwa & Co and later joined the Rivers State Ministry of Justice as State Counsel, where she served in the Legislative Drafting and Civil Litigation Departments and retired voluntarily in 2007 as Assistant Director.

In July 2007, she was appointed the first Honourable Commissioner for Social Welfare and Rehabilitation of Rivers State, where she strengthened the institutional development of remand homes, children’s homes, rehabilitation services, and the School for the Handicapped. She returned to private legal practice as Managing Solicitor at Aguma & Co in October 2007. In 2018, she was reappointed Commissioner for Social Welfare and Rehabilitation and served under successive administrations until her voluntary resignation in May 2024.

Inime Aguma currently serves as Treasurer of the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), contributing to the organization’s global mission of promoting justice and the protection of women and children.

K. Sheela Anish, B.A., LL.B., is a distinguished legal professional with 35 years of standing in the Indian legal fraternity. She has actively practiced before the Supreme Court of India, various High Courts, and numerous Civil, Criminal, and Family Courts. Her extensive experience spans civil and criminal litigation, labour matters, appellate practice, and writ jurisdiction, with recognized expertise in property disputes, matrimonial matters, and constitutional law. Many of her cases have been reported in leading state and national law journals.
She has served as a Panel Advocate for several reputed institutions and held key public roles, including State Government Advocate at the High Court of Karnataka and Counsel for the Karnataka State Legal Services Authority.
A pioneering leader, Ms. Anish is the Founder President of both the Karnataka State Federation of Women Lawyers and the All-India Federation of Women Lawyers. She has also served as Vice President, Director, and President of the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) and continues as its director.
Her national and international engagement is extensive. She has attended and presented papers at numerous conferences across Asia, Europe, Africa, and the Americas, including programs in Malaysia, Italy, Nigeria, London, Brazil, Colombia, and Cameroon. For the past 15 years, she has been a regular participant at the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW).
Ms. Anish has organized major national and international conferences, including the Asia International Conference for Women Lawyers (Bangalore 2008, Kuwait 2023) and the World Women Lawyers Conference (Bangalore 2014). She is the recipient of several national and international awards recognizing her contributions. Her national and international engagement is extensive. She has attended and presented papers at numerous conferences across Asia, Europe, Africa, and the Americas, including programs in Malaysia, Italy, Nigeria, London, Brazil, Colombia, and Cameroon. For the past 15 years, she has been a regular participant at the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW).
Ms. Anish has organized major national and international conferences, including the Asia International Conference for Women Lawyers (Bangalore 2008, Kuwait 2023) and the World Women Lawyers Conference (Bangalore 2014). She is the recipient of several national and international awards recognizing her contributions to law and women’s leadership.

Gladys is an award winning and pro bono Lawyer who has mentored many women and men across Africa. She is a public interest and digital rights lawyer. She has led lobby meetings for law reform in the area of GBV at various relevant ministries and the National Assembly. She has organized and facilitated many capacity building workshops for lawyers, Magistrates, police officers, traditional/community leaders, CSOs leaders, grassroots women on Women’s Rights and Strategic Litigation. Gladys is CO-Founder of the Cameroon Women Peace Movement (CAWOPEM). In collaboration with REDHAC she has facilitated many intercommunity dialogues for peace and created peace clubs in the 10 regions of Cameroon. She has received many commendations for her work in promoting women’s rights and defending human rights. She was named amongst 50 Women in Law Who Inspire; by The Institute for African Women in Law in its 2023 annual publication.

Council member of FIDA Taiwan, which was established in 1990. FIDA Taiwan has a Legal Committee, a Service Committee, a Liaison Committee, and an Editorial Committee to discuss important laws and regulations of public concern. We also voluntarily organize legal knowledge dissemination lectures, member gatherings, charity sales, and publish newsletters on member activities. A 35th Anniversary Commemorative Publication was released in 2025. At the International level, I am a past Regional Vice President and I presently hold the position of International Director

Olori Olufunmi Oluyede (whose formative years and early education took place in London, UK) is a member of the distinguished Honorable Body of Benchers (the highest regulatory organ of the legal profession) in Nigeria.

A transnational commercial attorney of high repute, she is one of the pioneer/founding partners of TRLPLAW Solicitors & Advocates (a prestigious international commercial law firm) where she provides over 36 years of legal insight and expertise across a range of industries, to the firm’s most prominent clientele globally.

A passionate women/human rights activist and prolific, erudite speaker, Olufunmi speaks regularly at global conferences and seasonally organizes widely acclaimed international conferences at the United Nations and internationally, in collaboration with her universal network of humanitarian organizations which includes the International Bar Association, the American Bar Association Int’l Law Section, the African Women Lawyers Association, the Geneva-based International Alliance of Women et al.

Olori Olufunmi, life member of FIDA INT’L is also past Chair, FIDA (Nigeria) Lagos; current member, National Executive Council, FIDA Nigeria; immediate past Chair of the Editorial Board of FIDA INT’L, immediate National/Country Vice President, FIDA USA and presently, FIDA INT’L Regional Vice President for North America.

Silvana Vanadia Born in Milan, Italy in 1962, she lives in Milan. Married with three sons.    Graduated on 11 July 1985 in law at University of Milan with praise.   She has been chief of the legal office of the “Italian Regulatory Authority for Energy, Networks and Environment”, carrying out regulatory and supervisory activities in the sectors of electricity, natural gas, water services, waste cycle and district heating. Actually she is State Attorney at the District Attorney of the State of Milan, where she acts for the Italian Government in hundreds of public, civil and criminal proceedings.  As a State Attorney, she is also responsible for the training and preparation of young practicing lawyers.    She is also Professor of Public Law at “Università degli Studi di Milano”.   Previous functions:   Appointed on May 1987 State Prosecutor at the Milan office.    Appointed on December 1987 Judge at the Court of Milan.    Appointed on February 1988 until 1996 Judge of the Second Degree Tax Commission in Milan.    In 1989 she published a code of administrative law and a code of expropriation law.    She is actually Director of FIDA- International Federation of women lawyers.    She has been the former International Vice President of FIDA- International Federation of women lawyers (from 2017 to 2020), former Director and actually Director.

Carolina Ríos Villota is a graduate of Universidad Santiago de Cali, where she obtained her Law degree and specialized in Constitutional Law. She later completed a Master’s Degree in Public and Contractual Law at Universidad Santo Tomás in Bogotá.

She served as President of the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) for the period 2021–2024. Her leadership within the Federation is regarded as a source of pride due to the significant impact FIDA has on the lives of women and girls worldwide. She currently serves as Parliamentarian of FIDA International.

In parallel, Carolina works as a legal advisor in the private sector, collaborating with companies in the food industry, automotive dealerships, and human resources services. Her professional responsibilities include legal aspects related to human resources, money laundering prevention, human resources management, and personal data protection.

Additionally, Carolina is an active member of the Catholic Community of Cristo Resucitado in Santiago de Cali, where she provides legal support to those most in need. She has also been a member of the TRICALI triathlon club since 2014, participating in long-distance races.

Joy Chidinma Ejim (formerly Ezeigbo), LL.M, is the Historian of the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) and a distinguished Nigerian legal professional with extensive experience in women’s rights advocacy and organizational leadership.

She is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Mediators & Conciliators, Nigeria, and previously served as FIDA Regional Vice President for Africa (North & West) from 2021 to 2024, as well as Deputy National President of FIDA Nigeria from 2012 to 2015. Throughout her career, she has held multiple leadership and executive roles within FIDA Nigeria, contributing significantly to the organization’s growth and strategic direction.

Joy Chidinma Ejim is a passionate advocate for the promotion, protection, and preservation of the rights of women, children, and indigent members of society. Her work reflects a sustained commitment to gender justice, access to justice, and legal empowerment.

She is a partner at Maritime & Commercial Law Partners and a co-founder of TTB Partnership, a Law and Business Consultancy Firm, where she serves as Head of the Commercial and Maritime Section, specializing in commercial and maritime law.

Through her legal practice and leadership within FIDA, Joy continues to advance equitable legal frameworks and strengthen institutional responses to the needs of vulnerable populations.

Hadassah Swain is the United Nations Representative of the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) and is affiliated with the Bahamas Chapter. She is an Attorney-at-Law and currently serves as Senior In-House Legal Counsel, Compliance Officer, and Money Laundering Reporting Officer at The Grand Bahama Port Authority, Limited, where she has been part of the Port Group of Companies since 2005.

She is a graduate of the University of London and a member of the Honourable Society of Gray’s Inn. She was called to the Bar of England and Wales and The Bahamas in 1997. In 1998, she began her legal career in Nassau as a Criminal Prosecutor in the Office of the Attorney General. She later joined the law firm Callenders & Co, where her practice areas included commercial and civil litigation, personal injury, family law, real estate, and development law.

Hadassah Swain serves as Assistant Treasurer of the FIDA Grand Bahama Chapter and represents FIDA International before the United Nations, contributing to international legal advocacy and policy dialogue on women’s rights and access to justice.

She also serves on the Board of Directors of St. Paul’s Methodist College, her alma mater, supporting educational governance and institutional development.

Hadassah is committed to advancing legal empowerment, institutional integrity, and gender justice at both national and international levels.

Jumanah Behbehani is the Regional Vice President for the Middle East of the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) and is based in Kuwait. She is an honorary board member and Head of the International Legal Organizations Centre at the Kuwait Bar Association, as well as the founder of Jumanah Behbehani Law Firm.

She is an expert in family, civil, and commercial law, with a particular focus on gender advocacy and LegalTech. Jumanah is a registered arbitrator and is actively involved in international legal organizations, including the International Lawyers Association.

Jumanah also serves as a Counsellor to the President of the International Association of Lawyers and as a National Representative, contributing to international legal dialogue and institutional cooperation.

Committed to mentoring future legal professionals, she is passionate about legal education and professional development. Jumanah is fluent in multiple languages and has a strong interest in cultural activities and diving.

Constance Elrone McDonald, KC, is the Regional Vice President for North America and the Caribbean of the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) and is affiliated with the Bahamas Chapter. She is a distinguished legal professional with decades of experience in public service, banking, and private legal practice.

She is a graduate of the University of the West Indies and the Norman Manley Law School, and was called to the Bar of The Bahamas in 1978. Her professional training includes Banking Management from the Irish Management Institute in Dublin (1984) and Advanced Management studies at the University of Miami (1986). She has also completed specialized certifications in Commercial Crime at Oxford University and Advocacy Training in England, as well as studies in Theology and Education for Ministry.

Ms. McDonald began her legal career at the Attorney General’s Chambers, and later served at the Bahamas Development Bank and the Grand Bahama Port Authority. In 1994, she established her own legal practice. Throughout her career, she has served as a Magistrate, a Tribunal Judge, and a member of several commissions and boards, including the Judicial and Legal Services Commission.

She is committed to advancing justice, legal integrity, and professional excellence in the Caribbean region.

Preeti Shah, I.S.C., B.Sc., and LL.B., is a distinguished senior legal professional with over 40 years of experience in the Indian legal system. She was enrolled as an Advocate with the Bar Council of Maharashtra & Goa in 1980, and has built a career grounded in integrity, leadership, and a strong commitment to advancing women in the legal profession. In 1993, she was appointed as a Notary for Greater Mumbai by the Government of Maharashtra.

She is a highly respected leader in national and international legal organizations. Preeti Shah has held several key positions, including Honorary Secretary, Vice President, and Acting President of the Indian Federation of Women Lawyers (IFWL). She is a founding member of the Maharashtra Federation of Women Lawyers (MFWL) and the All India Federation of Women Lawyers (AIFWL), where she also served as Past President.

Her global engagement includes serving as a Member and Vice President of the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA). She is also Vice President of the Intellectual Property Law Practitioners Association (IPLPA), reflecting her expertise in specialized legal fields, particularly intellectual property law.

Preeti Shah is empaneled as a Mediator with the Bombay City Civil Court, as notified by the Hon’ble Bombay High Court, recognizing her expertise in dispute resolution and her commitment to fair and effective justice.

She currently serves as Regional Vice President (Asia) of FIDA International and is based in India, where she continues to advocate for women’s rights, legal empowerment, and equitable access to justice across the region.

Ms. Chen Wenchi is the Regional Vice President (Asia) of FIDA International. She is the former President and currently the Executive Director of FIDA ROC(Taiwan) Chapter. She retired from the position of Head Prosecutor of Taiwan High Prosecutors’ Office in 2023. Prior to joining Taiwan High Prosecutors’ Office, she served as the Director General of the Department of Prosecutorial Affairs, Ministry of Justice, in charge of the criminal policy making, laws revising, administrative affairs of prosecutors and bar associations. Then she served as the Director General of the Department of International and Cross-Strait Legal Affairs, responsible for international negotiations and mutual legal assistance matters.

Justice Kumudini Wickremasinghe (Master of Arts – Human Rights [University of Oslo, Norway]) – Judge of the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka Justice Kumudini Wickremasinghe, a Presiding Judge of the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka, enrolled as an Attorney-at-Law in 1986. She commenced her career as a State Counsel at the Attorney General’s Department and was appointed a High Court Judge in 2006. She has represented Sri Lanka on issues of human rights and gender equality in countries such as Colombia, the USA, the UK, India, and Malaysia, and has served as a trainer in cybercrime and combating drug trafficking under programmes conducted by the USA. She is the Gender Representative for the Indian Ocean region appointed by the Commonwealth Magistrates’ and Judges’ Association. Her work with FIDA started in 2005 when she represented Sri Lanka internationally, including as President of the Women Lawyers’ Association at the FIDA AGM in Malaysia. A frequent chief guest, speaker, panelist, and presenter at national and international legal conferences, she addresses themes including AI, cybercrime, gender-based violence, and child rights. In March 2025, she founded the Sri Lanka Association of Women Judges and assumed office as its President.

Nomaswazi Shabangu is an attorney admitted to the High Court of South Africa in 2002, a qualified Mediator and Arbitrator, and the sole Director of Nomaswazi Shabangu Attorneys, specializing in family law, gender issues, and litigation. She has held significant leadership roles in the legal profession, including Chairperson of the Family Law Committee of the Law Society of South Africa, Council member of the Legal Practice Council, and Commissioner of the Judicial Service Commission, where she contributes to the appointment of judges across the country.

Her judicial career includes serving as Acting Magistrate of the Regional Court in Mpumalanga, where she became the first black woman magistrate in the division, and later as Acting Judge of the High Court, Mpumalanga Division (2020–2021). She also chaired the Mpumalanga Consumer Court and served in governance roles such as Chairperson of the Mpumalanga Heritage Resource Authority and Deputy Chairperson of the Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency.

Shabangu is a strong advocate for transformation in the judiciary and legal profession. She is the President of the South African Women Lawyers Association and FIDA Regional Vice President (Africa), advancing equitable opportunities for women in law. She has presented on international platforms, including the UN in Geneva, where she highlighted African perspectives on women and family life.

Afua is a private legal practitioner, capacity building professional, digital safeguarding and online sexual exploitation expert and a women’s rights advocate. Her work spans over 20 years, influencing national laws and international instruments through her advocacy work at FIDA. Afua was a lecturer at Ghana School of Law and a member of the national Domestic Violence Management Board and other boards.She is a fellow of UN-Singapore Cyber Fellowship, alumna of University of Georgia School of Law, USA, Ghana School of Law and University of Ghana, with a master’s degree in international business law and certification in cybersecurity.

Carmen Meza Ingar is a lawyer, Doctor of Law, and university professor at the National University of San Marcos. She has been awarded the Scientific Merit Award five times for her legal research. She is the author of fourteen books, one of which, published in 2007 by the Congress of the Republic of Peru, discusses the history of women since the 14th century.

As a consultant for the UN Commission on Women’s Rights, she worked on the implementation of the 1979 Convention and participated in the UN World Conferences on Women held in Nairobi, Kenya, and Beijing, China.

She has visited all five continents, attending conferences organized by FIDA, the UN, the UIA, and various universities. In addition, she has been invited by the governments of Japan, Germany, Israel, and South Korea. During her student years, she received an invitation from President Kennedy to visit 20 universities in the United States.

Beryinetd Grisales Astaiza is a Colombian lawyer and accredited conciliator from Cali, Valle del Cauca. She holds a law degree from Universidad Libre Cali, with specializations in Family Law from Universidad San Buenaventura in partnership with Universidad del Rosario, and in Notarial and Registry Law. An institutional arbitrator with extensive experience in conflict resolution, she currently serves as Director of the FUNDACARH Conciliation and Arbitration Centre, General Secretary of the Federation of Conciliation Centres (FEDECENTROS), and Regional Vice President for South America of FIDA International.

Lawyer, honorary life president of the International Federation of Women Lawyers. Mother of the Colombian gender quota law. Columnist for El País, Cali, Colombia. Hostess of the weekly TV program El Ágora, Charlas con Ángela on Telepacífico. Founder of the matriarchal eco-village Nashira and author of several books including Ethics of Care and Maternalism towards a Colombian Ginocracy? Co-founder of the global movement MATRIARCHY NOW.