Stakeholders Meet To Strengthen Criminal Justice And VAPP Laws

BY KALMANA AFSA, BAUCHI –

As part of efforts towards ensuring speedy justice delivery as well as strengthening the implementation of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law (ACJL) and Violence Against Persons’ Prohibition Law (VAPPL) and to ensure, key stakeholders have commence addressing the issues.

Accordingly, High Court Judges, Magistrates, Shariah Court Judges, police personnel, State Counsels drawn from the Ministry of Justice and Gender desk Officers have commenced a capacity a Three-Day capacity Building workshop for effective implementation of the laws.

The capacity building is targeted at increasing the Knowledge of Key Justice Sector actors on the Content and relevant provisions of the VAPP law and ACJS law. It is also aimed at improving inter agency coordination between the justice sector and service providers in ensuring speedy justice recovery for survivors of sexual and gender based violence.

The program is being coordinated for implemention in six states of Bauchi, Benue, Enugu, Kaduna, Osun and Federal Capital Territory (FCT)- Abuja by Lawyers Alert, and Cluster Members Consisting of Ikra Foundation for Women and Youth Development, Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ) and Leagues of Women Voters and Community Advancement Initiative for Self Reliance among others.

In their remarks, Executive Director of Ikra Foundation Amina Garuba and Chairperson of Bauchi State chapter of NAWOJ, Mrs. Bulak Afsa, said the training will foster improved relations among Key players to enable justice to be delivered faster whenever there is a case of SGBV. They urged the actors to be more proactive by ensuring that Justice is always served without delay.

The three day interactive capacity building will afford the participants an opportunity of share knowledge and experience.