Lawyers Alert Participates in Training on Addressing Gender-Based Violence in Communities

Two of our staff, Dzuamo Mary Nguemo, Esq. and Francisca Uhembe, have successfully completed a training on Addressing Gender-Based Violence (GBV) in Communities. The capacity-building programme was designed to strengthen community-level responses to GBV by improving prevention, response, and survivor support mechanisms across different settings in Nigeria.

The training, organised by Development Initiatives of West Africa, facilitated in-depth discussions on the prevalence, forms, and evolving dynamics of gender-based violence across several states in the country. Participants engaged in critical reflections on the structural and social drivers of GBV, including harmful cultural norms, entrenched gender inequalities, institutional weaknesses, and power imbalances that continue to enable and sustain violence within communities.

The engagement also provided a valuable platform for peer learning and experience sharing among practitioners working in diverse contexts. Through interactive sessions, participants examined practical challenges in GBV response and explored more effective, coordinated approaches to prevention and survivor-centred support. Emphasis was placed on strengthening referral systems, improving multi-stakeholder coordination, and ensuring that interventions are sensitive, inclusive, and context-specific.

Participants were further equipped with practical tools and strategies for prevention and response, including community sensitisation approaches, early warning and reporting mechanisms, and survivor-focused support systems. The training strengthened their capacity to contribute to more effective community-based interventions that address GBV in a holistic manner.

This engagement reinforces Lawyers Alert’s continued commitment to advancing gender justice, strengthening protection frameworks, and promoting the rights and dignity of women, girls, and other vulnerable populations. It also reflects our broader mission of supporting community-driven solutions that address the root causes of violence and build safer, more equitable societies.