OCCEN Trains 20 Northwest CSOs to Tackle Human Rights Abuses
By: Ahmed Aminu, Dutse
The Orientation for Community Civic Engagement (OCCEN), has build the capacity of 20 civil society organizations (CSOs) in the North West to tackle human rights abuses.
The paralegal skills training, supported by the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), had four participants from each of the five states of Kano, Kaduna, Katsina, Jigawa, and Zamfara.
The two-day paralegal training was designed to equip participants with basic legal knowledge and practical skills to provide “legal first aid” to victims of human rights violations in local communities.
According to the organizers, the initiative recognizes that access to justice goes beyond the courtroom or police station.
It therefore seeks to empower community-based paralegals to respond to diverse issues affecting local citizens—ranging from everyday disputes to cases of abuse and rights violations—by offering guidance, mediation, and links to legal redress.
The program emphasized building holistic paralegals capable of assisting citizens to navigate social, economic, and legal challenges, while also protecting them from potential rights infringements by law enforcement agents.
Facilitated by some prominent legal practitioners, Barrister Abba Hikima and Barrister Ammani Maizare, the training offered participants practical tools for helping indigent persons gain access to justice, resolve conflicts, and engage effectively with human rights institutions.
OCCEN said the paralegal initiative forms part of its broader commitment to strengthening civic participation, promoting accountability, and ensuring that marginalized voices are empowered to defend their fundamental rights.
