FIDA trains paralegals to quicken prosecution of perpetrators of sexual violence

The International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), Bauchi State chapter, has commenced a two-day intensive training for 10 paralegals selected from four local government areas of the state to address the rampant cases of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) and tampering of evidence by victims or their parents.

Addressing the participants in Bauchi on Thursday, the state Chairperson of FIDA, Barrister Fatima Abubakar, said  the objective of the training was to acquaint the participants with the basic knowledge of what they were expected to do in their communities with regards to cases of SGBV in line with the laws of the land.

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She said that the training was also to develop the capacities of the participants to contribute to protecting the rights of women and children with a better understanding of relevant laws that protect such groups.

Abubakar said she was particularly worried about instances where victims or their parents tamper with evidence by washing it off before reporting the case to the authorities.

This, according to the chairperson, in most cases makes it very difficult to prove the case in the court.

“Because of your closeness to the grassroots, we are counting on you to enlighten your people on the need to allow justice takes its course without tampering with evidence on the body of the victim.

“Though we are not training you to become lawyers, you are going to be our ears and eyes in your communities by creating awareness on evidence tampering and ensuring such dastard acts are promptly reported to local authorities immediately  they happen,” she said

She said as pioneer paralegals in the state and with the training, the onus now lay with the participants to prove to the world that they could make a difference towards mitigating SGBV and other domestic violence in their respective communities.

She added that FIDA will leverage its experience working on the newly passed Violence Against Persons Prohibition Act (VAPP) and other related laws to support the training and engagement of community paralegals across the entire 20 councils in the state.

Some of the participants said they were ready to assist FIDA in its fight against SGBV and also pledged to bring to bear what they will learn in their respective communities.