The International Federation of Women Lawyers - FIDA- was formed in 1944 by a group of seven women lawyers from Cuba, El Salvador, Mexico, Puerto Rico, and the United States of America. The Association is generally known as FIDA (which is an abbreviation of the original Spanish appellation Federacion Internacional de Abogadas). FIDA International is strictly a non-political and non-profit making o
rganization and membership can either be as a country or as individuals in countries where there are not enough members to constitute a group or where a country has not formed an officially recognised association. With the advent of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, FIDA's objectives were broadened to include human rights for all. In 1952, the Association was admitted into the family of non-governmental organisations at the United Nations, while in 1954 it was granted a Consultative Status at the United Nations. It holds a class 2b status and is also a member of CONGO (Conference of Non Governmental Organisations). The Association now has memberships in more than 80 countries in every region of the world and over 1000 individual members. FIDA (Nig) Lagos Branch was established to fulfill the objectives of the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) in Lagos, Nigeria.
