Amnesty International and legal practitioners in Imo State have called for a more survivor-centred approach to handling gender-based violence (GBV) cases, urging stronger legal responses and improved support systems for victims.
The appeal was made during a two-day training programme for lawyers and civil society organisations on legal responses to gender-based violence, organised by Amnesty International in Owerri.
Speaking at the training, Amnesty International Programme Officer, Helen Adah, urged legal practitioners to always prioritise the needs, safety and dignity of survivors in the pursuit of justice.
She described female lawyers as critical first responders in GBV cases, stressing that effective evidence gathering, strategic media engagement and a survivor-centred approach are essential to securing justice for victims.
Adah noted that Amnesty International has also conducted similar capacity-building programmes in Kano and Oyo states to strengthen institutional and legal responses to gender-based violence across the country.
Also speaking, the Chief State Counsel at the Imo State Ministry of Justice, Chinaka Sunday-Iheruo, encouraged survivors of gender-based violence to seek legal assistance from the ministry, assuring them of the government’s commitment to ensuring justice.
A resource person at the event, Rosemary Hamza, highlighted the importance of functional referral pathways, warning that weak referral systems could increase trauma, compromise confidentiality and expose survivors to further abuse.
She urged lawyers to remain steadfast in supporting survivors despite family and societal pressures that often discourage victims from pursuing legal action.
The Chairperson of the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), Imo State, Phil Amaefule, reaffirmed the association’s commitment to providing free legal services to survivors of gender-based violence.
Human rights advocate, Ndidi Anike Val-Okeoma, also called on the Imo State Government to establish a dedicated agency to coordinate referral services for survivors, saying such a move would improve access to support and strengthen efforts to combat gender-based violence.
