Participants at a two-day workshop on strengthening local informal/legal justice systems through the use of Alternative Dispute Resolution have pledged to scale up lessons learnt during the programme to their various communities.
The workshop which was organised by International Alert in collaboration with Kaduna state Multi – Door Court House drew stakeholders from Goska, Dangoma and Zikpak communities in Jema’a local government area, where they are implementing a project tagged “increasing Access to Local Justice.”
Some of the participants who spoke, while commending the organisation for organising the program, said they have been exposed to many techniques to resolve local disputes through dialogue instead of going to court.
In his speech, the chairman of Jema’a local government area, Comrade Yunana Markus Barde, commended the organisers of the programme for their initiative which will help the Kaduna state government to ensure normalcy, lasting peace, equity and justice thrive in the state.
Barde stated that Governor Uba Sani has put security issues as one of his top priority against which backdrop he is appealing to the participants to inculcate the spirit of self discipline when they go back to their communities to step down what they have learnt.
While urging the organisers to extend the training to other communities in the local government, he reiterated his council’s readiness to partner any group that will help in bringing sustainable peace and rapid development to Jema’a local government.
Earlier, the project manager of International Alert, Mr. Sunday Jimoh, lamented that lack of awareness on human rights, legal remedies, legal aid and assistance, as well as gender biases are some of the factors impeding access to justice, particularly for women and people with disability.