DFID Floats Project Towards Amicable Disputes Resolution In Enugu

THE Department for International Development (DFID) has launched a project aimed at finding amicable resolution to disputes among communities in Enugu State.

The project, an off shoot of the DFID’s Justice for All Programme (J4A), tends to enlighten women on the need to be involved in the settlement of disputes in their communities.

DFID said the project would help to decongest courts of communal cases as well as speed up resolutions in the process.

Enugu State Coordinator for J4A, Mrs. Josephine Onah, who disclosed this in a sensitisation programme at Ochima, Igbo Etiti Local Government Area of Enugu State, stated that the programme would encourage women to settle disputes that men may occasionally find difficult to handle in communities.

She said that four pilot communities in Enugu State, including Ndeabor of Aninri Local Government Area; Ochima of Igbo-Etiti; Aro-Agu of Igbo Eze South and Abor of Udi Local Government Area, have been selected, addinging that the desire of the DFID on the J4A programme was to reduce to the barest minimum several litigations in court.
Onah told the women that they are recognised as custodians of culture as well as mediators and
advisers on issues affecting girls and women in communities where they exist or function, hence, the need to find better and amicable way of settling disputes without recourse to
court actions.
“In recognition of your vital role in the society, J4A deemed it worthy to support this programme that will raise awareness and enhance knowledge and understanding of Umuadas (daughters) so that they will have greater knowledge on how to carry out functions in a manner that is fair, equitable that will be in line with tradition of the Igbo culture and modern human rights tenets. To actualise this, the J4A is working through a civil society organisation, Women Action Research Organisation (WARO), to raise awareness and create understanding in four communities in Enugu State,” she said.