International-Alert in collaboration with UK International Development has just concluded 16 months “Access to Justice” Project being implemented in two of the North West States in Nigeria namely: Kaduna and Zamfara States with a stability plan/guide.
“Fully supported by Integrated Security Fund (ISF), this project kicked off early 2023, and was aimed at promoting stability, access to justice, and accountability, code named in Hausa as ‘Samun Adalci Shine Kwanciyar Hankali’” said Paul Benshima Nyulaku, Country Director, International Alert during a Close out meeting with the key stakeholders from the two states in Abuja, yesterday.
According to him, “this close out meeting would mark the conclusion of a significant phase of the collaborative efforts with various partners, law enforcement agencies and community based Organizations to foster positive change and strengthen justice and accountability in Northwest Nigeria.”
Nyulaku added that the close-out meeting provided an opportunity for all the stakeholders to review the achievements and impact of the project, discuss lessons learned, and outline the way forward.
Speaking about the impacts of the project implementation in the two selected states since inception till closure, Nyulaku stressed that the project implementation was carefully targeted at the two North-West states where access to justice, peace and stability have been reportedly threatened in the past few years
“One of the significant milestones of the project is the Stability Plan that we have been able to develop through the implementation of this project” said Nyulaku.
He added that several platforms were also created and strengthened in promoting access to justice mostly amongst the victims of Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV) particularly within the two local governments of each state that project was implemented.” he said.
Cliff Gai, Programme Lead, Integrated Security Fund, UK while addressing the Pressmen at the close-out event, said through the collaborative work of international Alert in the two states (Kaduna and Zamfara) has been able to create and strengthen platforms where they exist- that help to advocate for the prevention of SGBV.
“Through this project we have been able to help strengthen both formal and informal judicial processes at the community level so that they can entrench access to justice for community members where they have grievances, which were being done side by side by supporting community to be able to engage in Alternative Peaceful Resolution. This project had also done well in enhancing and expanding engagement for women and other vulnerable groups” he stated.
Sharing the impacts of the project during the Panel Session at the Close-out event, Laura Wambai, Chairperson, WOPEMP, Chikun, Kaduna and one of the Stakeholders said, the Project has indeed strengthened the existing platforms in the state to help the women with cases SGBV get justice.
“As at the time we commenced the implementation of this project in Kaduna state, SGBV cases were delicate issue that nobody dares discuss openly particularly in some parts of Chikun Local Government in Kaduna State but with the capacity building structure put in place through this project by International Alert, we were able to train the women within the communities to speak up so as to get the right justice” said Wambai.