Lawyers Alert Participates in Three-Day Training on HIV Response, Human Rights, and Institutional Accountability in Benue

Stakeholders from across key sectors have concluded a three-day capacity-building training convened by the Benue State Agency for the Control of AIDS (BENSACA) in collaboration with the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA), held in Makurdi, Benue State.

The training focused on strengthening accountability systems, reducing stigma and discrimination, and improving access to justice and healthcare services for vulnerable populations in the state. It brought together government agencies, civil society actors, and development partners working within the health and human rights sector.

Lawyers Alert participated in the training and was represented by Associate Director, Victor Eboh Esq., who joined other stakeholders in discussions aimed at improving rights-based responses within HIV programming and broader public health interventions.

The training formed part of ongoing efforts to strengthen institutional coordination and ensure that human rights considerations are integrated into HIV prevention, treatment, care, and support services. Participants engaged in technical sessions designed to generate stakeholder input for the Gender and Human Rights Self-Assessment Tool for Benue State.

The Self-Assessment Tool is a structured framework used to measure progress, identify operational gaps, and strengthen accountability and responsiveness in programme implementation. It is also intended to support evidence-based reforms across relevant institutions to improve service delivery outcomes.

Throughout the sessions, stakeholders examined critical thematic areas including the elimination of stigma and discrimination, promotion of non-discriminatory healthcare provision, and strengthening access to justice for affected populations. Other focus areas included rights-based law enforcement practices, legal literacy, reduction of gender-based violence and discrimination, and the improvement of laws, policies, and regulatory frameworks supporting vulnerable groups.

The training also emphasized the importance of community mobilisation and advocacy as key components in addressing structural barriers that limit access to services and justice. Participants noted that sustained collaboration between state institutions and civil society remains essential in ensuring effective implementation of human rights standards within public health programming.

At the conclusion of the training, stakeholders reaffirmed their commitment to advancing coordinated, inclusive, and accountable systems that protect the rights of vulnerable populations while improving access to healthcare and justice services across Benue State.