By Abbas Jimoh
The Cleen Foundation and the Norwegian Embassy in Nigeria have called for the implementation of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) Framework as an approach to boost and strengthen the rights and protection of women in the country.
They made the call on Tuesday in Abuja at the official project launch of “Strengthening Right-Based Approach to Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) Framework and Advancing Women, Peace and Security (WPS) in Nigeria”.
The event was organised by Cleen Foundation in partnership with the Norwegian Government through the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Abuja.
Speaking at the event, the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN noted the need for justice to be fair, gender-neutral, and applied without bias to retain credibility.
The AGF, represented by Mr David Emmanuel Kaswe, an Assistant Director, in the ministry, said that there was a need to strengthen justice delivery, enhance accountability, and ensure protection of citizens’ rights, as this remained central to Nigeria’s justice system.
“The project being inaugurated is both timely and strategic as it seeks to advance two critical objectives: the full implementation of the ACJA in 12 states of the federation and the effective operationalisation of the women, peace, and security agenda in five states.
“The Act has already proven to be a transformative legal framework at the federal level, and extending its full application across the states will further deepen respect for human rights, promote spirituality, and reduce the incidence of prolonged detention.
“The effective operationalisation of the women, peace, and security agenda in five states speaks to our recognition of the critical role women play in peace building, conflict resolution, and promotion of inclusive governance,” Fagbemi said.
He said that the Ministry remained committed to supporting initiatives that promote the rule of law, protect human dignity, and entrench a rights-based approach in governance.
Also, the Administrator of the National Judicial Institute (NJI), Justice Babatunde Adeniran Adejumo, said that justice would lose its credibility when tilted in favour of or against any gender.
He said that upholding gender neutrality in the administration of justice was essential to strengthening the rule of law, ensuring equal rights, and promoting public trust in the judiciary.
“Over the years, justice has been perceived by many as being more responsive or favourable to men.
“This assertion, albeit subjective, is based on the presumption that the predominant manifestation of gender inequality in the justice sector finds expression in the discrimination against and exclusion of women from the justice system.
“Consequently, to change the foregoing perception within society and in order for justice systems world over to be truly inclusive and fair, cognizance must be given to the lived realities of both men and women alike,” he said.
Justice Adejumo said that increased consideration had been given to the distinctive experiences of women, especially in conflicts, as well as their roles in peacebuilding, as reflected in several international and national laws, policies, and resolutions.
He, therefore urged judicial officers and stakeholders to guard against stereotypes or prejudices that might influence legal outcomes, reiterating that justice must be guided strictly by facts, evidence, and the law.
On his part, the Norwegian Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Svein Baera, represented by Ms. Michelle Hovi, Acting Chargé d’Affaires at the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Abuja, said that Norway was proud to support initiatives that promote peace, justice, and inclusive societies.
He also commended the Cleen Foundation for advancing accountability, good governance, and community engagement, which aligned with Norway’s shared values and commitment to strengthening democratic institutions.
“This launch marks not only the beginning of a project, but also a continuation of our partnership with Nigerian civil society.
“We are happy to be part of this project that seeks to strengthen and promote the Administration of the Criminal Justice Act as well as the Women, Peace and Security Agenda across different states in Nigeria,” Baera said.
Speaking earlier, the Acting Executive Director of the Cleen Foundation, Mr Peter Maduoma, said that the project, which focuses on administering the ACJA frameworks and advancing women, peace, and security, aims to ensure improved access to justice.
He said that the project will strengthen accountability within the criminal justice system and promote the active participation of women in peace-building and security processes across the country.
According to him, the foundation would leverage its extensive experience in security sector reform and gender-responsive interventions to deliver on the project in all selected states.
Maduoma said that plans were underway to expand the project to accommodate more states in the future.
He said, “We are confident that working with our strategic partners at the national, sub-national and local levels, this intervention will consolidate previous efforts while strategically addressing critical gaps in the implementation of the ACJA.”
The project, which aims to strengthen the justice system and gender governance, is being implemented in 12 states, with effective operationalisation in Imo, Kaduna, Plateau, Benue, and Nasarawa states.
