By Solomon OKPO | The Evangelist News Desk
The Administration of Criminal Justice and Legal (ACJL) stakeholders, CLEEN Foundation and the Norwegian Embassy are collaborating to strengthen the implementation of the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Law through a two-day state-level policy dialogue scheduled for October 13 and 14, 2026.
The workshop, held at Havilla Hotel, Uyo, Akwa Ibom state is themed, “Bridging the VAPP Law Implementation Gap: Strengthening Capacity, Institutional Compliance and Duty-Bearer Accountability.”
The policy dialogue is expected to bring together 35 eminent stakeholders drawn from government institutions, civil society organisations and law enforcement agencies to examine challenges affecting the effective implementation of the VAPP Law and develop practical strategies to address them.
According to the organisers, the proposed participation includes 10 representatives from government institutions and 15 representatives of civil society organisations, alongside stakeholders from law enforcement agencies.
The dialogue is expected to provide a platform for constructive engagement on institutional capacity, compliance with the provisions of the law and the accountability of duty-bearers responsible for preventing and responding to violence against persons.
The VAPP Law provides a legal framework for addressing various forms of violence and protecting victims. However, its effectiveness depends largely on public awareness, institutional commitment, effective enforcement and the capacity of relevant agencies to fulfil their responsibilities.
The two-day engagement is therefore expected to strengthen collaboration among government institutions, civil society organisations and law enforcement agencies and media towards closing implementation gaps and improving the protection of vulnerable persons.
Through the initiative, the organisers seek to promote stronger institutional accountability, improved enforcement mechanisms and a more coordinated response to violence, with the ultimate goal of ensuring that the protections guaranteed by law translate into meaningful outcomes for citizens.
The policy dialogue underscores the importance of moving beyond the enactment of laws to ensuring their effective implementation, enforcement and accountability at the state level.
