Women’s Rights and Health Project, WRAHP, in partnership with ActionAid Nigeria, continued its Community Legal Clinic for community members in Alimosho Local Government Area of Lagos State on Wednesday, March 29.
This time, the program was held at Ayobo Community Town Hall, and for Ayobo Ipaja LCDA communities.
Through the program WRAHP, in partnership with ActionAid Nigeria provided free legal aid services for community members in Lagos State’ most populated LGA, Alimosho.
According to WRAHP’s Executive Director, Bose Ironsi, “Community legal clinics are the backbone of legal aid services providing aid to underprivileged and marginalized communities. It plays a crucial role in ensuring access to justice for all, especially, for girls and women who are survivors of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence, SGBV.”
The program provides an opportunity for community members to assess pro Bono lawyers, and offers services such as legal representation, advice and counseling on the legal frame of SGBV, Employment issues, Tenant and Landlord issues, domestic violence, etc.
It equally assists with safety planning and provides access to other resources on SGBV violence.
“This training, funded by Global Affairs Canada through ActionAid Nigeria, is part of our efforts to ensure that survivors are well informed on their rights on legal issues.
“We will work with community structures that include artisans, market women and men, Christian and Muslim clergies and other community members,” Ironsi said.
According to her, WRAHP, the managers of Ireti Resource Center, “is an innovative registered non-for-profit organization with the core mission of promoting women and community health by equipping, mobilizing and actively engaging members of the community as agent of social change through information sharing, capacity building and advocacy.”
“We are well aware that issues of SGBV cases are still rampant in communities in Lagos State, and it is our responsibility to ensure we follow up on our efforts to address the menace. Community legal clinics for SGBV survivors will play a crucial role in helping individuals navigate the legal system and access justice.
We therefore, implore the media to join us in our fight in breaking the culture of silence,” Bose added.
Precious Eberechukwu, WRAHP’s Community Representative and Acting Center Manager, Ireti Resource Center, who anchored the Wednesday event, said similar events had earlier been held in five LCDAs in Alimosho.
“With the event held in Ayobo-Ipaja today (Wednesday), it means that we have carried out the legal clinic to all the six LCDAs in Alimosho,” she said.
According to her, a total of 304 community stakeholders in the LGA participated in the events.
Adebayo Oladejo-Tunkubo, the Chairman, Kakaifesuapo Community Development Area, Ayobo, a participant, said that through the programme “our people are now better informed about Lagos State Domestic Law, tenancy issues an sexual violation offenses.”
He said, “The people are now better informed about the Domestic Violence Law of Lagos State, whether husband against wife, wife against husband, parents against children or guardians; what the law says about them and the penalties for offenders.
“They are also better informed about Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV) of all kinds and their penalties.
“The knowledge that WRAHP and its initiative, Ireti Resource Center are always ready to assist them or anyone they know, who falls victim to these offenses, to get justice is one of the most veritable aspects of this program today.
“The issue of tenancy and landlord law discussed here today is very essential to the people. The landlords and tenants here today are better informed about their different rights and what to do when those rights are infringed upon.
“Also interesting was the knowledge shared here today about the rights of People Living With Disability (PWDs).”
Like Oladejo-Tunkubo, Mirian Kuforuji, a woman community leader and PRO, Ayabo Ipaja LCDA, described the programme as an excellent one.
She said, “The program today made a greater impact than what we have been having because we had legal practitioners talking about tenants and landlords rights which affect many Lagosians.
Then you talk about domestic violence, SGBV and penalties for offenders, as well as the rights of PWDs – it’s an impactful program from WRAP and its partners. It’s a welcomed development.”
Two lawyers, Nneamaka Agianpuye, and Tuneayo Falade, the speakers at the clinic, took participants on:
Legal frameworks guiding domestic violence, tenancy issues and PWD’s rights, employment and business rights, as well as widowhood rights.