OWERRI – Thirty female lawyers in Imo have been trained by the Amnesty International on ways to strengthen legal response to Gender Based Violence (GBV) and survivor-centred based practice in the state.
The two-day workshop included presentations on understanding GBV in the Nigerian context, media engagement and strategic communication in GBV cases, evidence gathering and referral pathways and inter-agency collaboration, among others.
Speaking at the training on Thursday in Owerri, the Education officer at Amnesty International, Ms Helen Adah said the training was necessitated by the high number of GBV cases in the state.
She added that the programme was convened to better equip lawyers and responders to GBV on proper procedures for handling such cases to achieve the desired results.
She added that the training would enable more sensitisation on GBV and best practices to ensure that violators are properly prosecuted and survivors protected.
Also speaking at the programme, a legal practitioner, Mrs Ndidi Anike Val-Okeoma said the training would provide clarity on the systems on the laws, the existing legal and policy frameworks and how to better deal with GBV cases.
She added that participants would also teach other practitioners, and sensitise people on GBV cases and the various referral pathways and how to secure justice and discourage secondary victimisation.
The lawyer also called on the government to set up sexual assault referral centers for survivors of GBV to improve success rates in the prosecution of such cases.
She also encouraged the participants to apply the core principles of survivor-centered approach which are safety, confidentiality, respect and dignity, non-discrimination and survivor autonomy in GBV related cases.
Speaking to Journalists at the event, the state Chairperson of the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), Mrs Phil Amaefule said the association remained committed to helping survivors of GBV despite various challenges.
She stated that GBV cases had continued to escalate in the state, adding that FIDA lacked the resources to fully assist survivors especially those in need of shelter.
The FIDA chairperson expressed hope that the training would help lawyers and prosecutors to handle GBV cases while protecting the survivors.(NAN)
