Speakers on day one of a three-day capacity-building workshop for Judges and Family Court Magistrates on strengthening responses to Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) have underscored the urgent need for a more responsive, trauma-informed, and accountable judicial system in Nigeria.
Special and Sexual Offences Judge of the Lagos High Court, Justice Rahman Oshodi, facilitating key sessions, interrogated prosecution challenges, highlighting issues around the burden and standard of proof as well as evidential issues surrounding the prosecutions of sexual offences”, including “credibility of a witness and forms of corroboration.
He also examined “circumstantial evidence and expert evidence”, alongside considerations relating to “child witnesses, sworn evidence and unsworn evidence of a child”.
On accountability, he recommended that “sexual crime reports should be published to ensure that every judicial officer has ready access to current sexual offences, offenders and laws” and “deploy dedicated SGBV prosecutors to be stationed at the court.”
Further, Justice Oshodi addressed judicial responses to sexual offences, focusing on “interpreting consent, applying the VAPP Act, ensuring survivor protection gaps and implementation challenges”, with emphasis on “protection of the victim in court so as to avoid re-traumatisation”.
In another session, Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Bureau of Public Defence, Dr Babajide Martins examined prosecutorial dynamics, outlining “the Lagos State approach to handling and reducing delays in prosecuting GBV cases” and providing “an overview of legal and policy frameworks on combating SGBV in Lagos State”.
He identified “gaps during investigation to prosecute SGBV cases” as well as “trial stage barriers” and “post-trial impediments”, while stressing “the role of judges in adjudicating sexual offences” and “protection of victims under the administration of criminal justice (amended) law 2022″.
In a compelling intervention, SGBV and SARC Management Specialist Juliet Olumuyiwa-Rufai described trauma as “a deeply distressing and overwhelming experience that significantly affects an individual’s emotional and psychological well-being”.
While stressing that its impact extends directly into courtroom processes and outcomes, she underscored “the importance of recognising trauma and its impact on survivors”, warning that failure to do so risks undermining both testimony and justice itself.
Highlighting institutional response mechanisms, she noted that Sexual Assault Referral Centres are “currently operational in 25 states across the federation”, providing critical, frontline support to survivors.
Olumuyiwa delivered a pointed caution on courtroom conduct, drawing attention to “the risk of re-traumatisation of survivors”, and stressed “the need for all stakeholders to adopt survivor-centered approaches aimed at minimising further harm and ensuring dignity, safety, and psychological well-being throughout the justice and support process.”
The opening sessions of the workshop held in Lagos State, South West Nigeria, underscore the critical role of the judiciary in shaping the tone, direction, and integrity of justice delivery.
The convergence hosted by the Federal Ministry of Justice is funded by the European Union’s Ending Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (ESGBV) Programme, a four-year initiative implemented by International IDEA’s Rule of Law and Anti-corruption Programme.
It is designed to strengthen national responses to SGBV, with a focus on “strengthening legal frameworks, enhancing institutional capacity, and promoting accountability in SGBV cases.”
The workshop continues with further sessions aimed at strengthening judicial capacity and improving institutional responses to SGBV cases.