Today, 25th July 2025, the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) joins the global legal community in commemorating the first-ever International Day for Judicial Well-being, as adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in Resolution A/79/L.52 and inspired by the historic Nauru Declaration on Judicial Well-being of 25 July 2024.
This day goes beyond mere symbolism. It is a moment of profound reflection—a clarion call to all nations, institutions, and justice sector actors to prioritize the mental, emotional, and occupational health of judicial officers.
Judicial well-being is not a peripheral concern; it is the foundation of judicial integrity, access to justice, and the continued survival of the rule of law.
Judges are not immune to human frailty. They carry the heavy burden of deciding matters that touch the core of people’s lives—liberty, property, family, and rights.
Yet, they do so under immense pressure, often within systems marred by chronic underfunding, outdated infrastructure, overwhelming caseloads, and personal insecurity.
As President of the Nigerian Bar Association, I state unequivocally that to build a resilient and independent judiciary, we must begin with the well-being of its human foundation.
The NBA calls for a comprehensive, data-driven national assessment of our court system, one that asks the difficult questions, confronts institutional stagnation, and seeks genuine transformation. Such a reform process must include:
- Empirical studies into judicial stress, fatigue, and burnout;
- Holistic reform of judicial workspaces and infrastructure;
- Institutional mental health support and peer engagement platforms;
- Promotion of an ethical and inclusive workplace culture across all courts;
- Integration of judicial well-being into training, evaluation, and administrative policies.
This is not a matter of convenience. It is a constitutional, professional, and moral imperative. A distressed judiciary cannot deliver undiluted justice.
A fatigued bench cannot protect rights or command the confidence of the public. The strength of our democracy depends on the strength—mental and moral—of our judges.
The Nigerian Bar Association remains committed to advancing judicial well-being as a core agenda. We will continue to engage the National Judicial Council, court leaderships, and mental health experts to mainstream well-being into national judicial policy.
We will also advocate for adequate court funding, improved judicial safety, and legislative support for sustained institutional independence.
On this first International Day for Judicial Well-being, I invite all stakeholders—not just to mark the day—but to embrace the cause.
Let us commit to building a judiciary that is not only competent and courageous, but cared for.
The health of our judiciary is the health of our democracy.
Mazi Afam Osigwe, SAN
President, Nigerian Bar Association
#JudicialWellbeing #AccessToJustice #NBAcares #AfamOsigweSAN #JusticeWithDignity
Read More:
NBA AGC 2025: All Eyes on Enugu as the Countdown Begins!
