Lawyers Alert Staff Trained on Survivor-Centered Justice Delivery in Makurdi

Lawyers Alert has participated in a para-legal training organized by Terre des Hommes in Makurdi, aimed at strengthening survivor-centered justice delivery and improving responses to gender-based violence (GBV) cases.

The training brought together justice sector actors, security personnel, and social service providers to enhance their capacity in handling cases involving vulnerable persons and survivors of abuse. It focused on equipping participants with trauma-informed, gender-sensitive, and survivor-centered approaches to case management and support services.

Lawyers Alert was represented at the training by Silas Mbakaan and Patricia Mngueshima Shima. The organization reiterated its commitment to promoting access to justice and supporting initiatives that strengthen institutional responses to gender-based violence and human rights violations in Nigeria.

Facilitators at the training identified significant knowledge gaps among some justice and social service actors, particularly in the area of gender sensitivity. According to them, these gaps continue to hinder effective reporting, proper case handling, and timely access to justice for survivors of abuse.

They further noted that such deficiencies often contribute to the re-traumatization of survivors and discourage many victims from seeking help or pursuing legal remedies, thereby weakening the justice system’s overall response to gender-based violence.

The training also emphasized the urgent need for continuous capacity building for justice, security, and social actors to ensure that responses to GBV cases align with survivor-centered principles, gender-sensitive standards, and ethical obligations.