The International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), Rivers State Branch, has convened a Town Hall Paralegal Meeting aimed at strengthening grassroots access to justice, fostering collaboration, and enhancing the protection of the rights of vulnerable persons across the state.
Speaking at the opening of the meeting, the Chairperson of FIDA Rivers, Tamunoibuemi Life-George, said the gathering provided an opportunity for paralegals, legal practitioners and stakeholders to interact physically after years of engagement through virtual platforms, telephone calls and referrals.
She explained that the town hall was designed as an interactive forum where participants could openly discuss challenges encountered in their communities, share practical solutions and identify strategies for improving access to justice at the grassroots.
Life-George commended the organisation’s partners, project managers, legal practitioners and the Police for their commitment to promoting justice, noting that collaboration among stakeholders would strengthen efforts to protect the rights of vulnerable members of society.
She expressed optimism that closer synergy between lawyers, paralegals and community advocates would improve legal practice, community policing and law enforcement engagement, ultimately benefiting residents across Rivers State.
Also speaking, the Secretary of FIDA Rivers, Okorite Yobo, said expanding the network of trained paralegals remained critical to reaching underserved communities where legal representation and awareness are limited.
Yobo disclosed that the organisation had recently extended its outreach to communities in Ahoada, Okrika and Bonny, where local representatives were recruited and trained to provide legal support and referrals.
According to her, many cases of domestic violence, illegal detention and other rights violations persist because of widespread ignorance of basic legal rights.
She said FIDA continues to educate residents through grassroots campaigns, market sensitisation programmes, radio broadcasts and community engagements, while encouraging beneficiaries to share legal knowledge within their communities.
Yobo added that although the paralegal initiative has recorded positive results through increased referrals and community engagement, funding constraints remain a major challenge.
She appealed to organisations, development partners and individuals to support FIDA Rivers in expanding legal literacy campaigns and producing educational materials that would further improve access to justice.
One of the participants, Dr. Ogwunte Sunday, described the training as timely and impactful, saying it equipped participants with practical knowledge on handling cases of rape, gender-based violence and other social offences.
He urged FIDA to deepen its grassroots sensitisation efforts by taking the training to more local government areas, stressing that increased legal awareness would help reduce crimes committed out of ignorance and promote greater respect for the law.
