The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has reaffirmed its commitment to establishing NHRC radio and television outfits to promote and protect human rights across Nigeria.
This was contained in a communiqué jointly signed by the executive secretary/chief executive officer of the commission, Dr Tony Ojukwu (SAN), and the chairperson of the Governing Council of the NHRC, Dr Salamatu Hussaini Suleiman, during the just concluded February statutory council meeting, which took place at the headquarters of the commission in Abuja.
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The communiqué states that the initiative aligns with Section 6(m)(n) of the NHRC Act 1995 as amended and reveals that it underscores the Council’s commitment to strengthening human rights advocacy nationwide. As part of this effort, it also stated that the Council has already paid a scheduled courtesy call to the Director General of the National Broadcasting Commission.
The council expressed deep concern over the prevailing insecurity problems in the country and attributed activities such as armed banditry, kidnapping, youth unrest, herders’ invasion, and the destruction of farmlands as major threats to the security of citizens.
To address these challenges, recommendations were made for youth engagement through quality and vocational education, youth empowerment, the establishment of state police, and intensified human rights promotion and protection.
Additionally, the council advocated for the federal government to ensure truly free and compulsory education in Nigeria as a means to alleviate poverty and empower the youth. Significantly, the Council recommended amending the 1999 Constitution to enforce the economic, social, and cultural rights of citizens, recognizing education as pivotal to realising these rights and achieving sustainable development goals.
The meeting also highlighted the submission of the National Action Plan on promotion and protection of human rights and the National Action Plan on business and human rights to the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR). These documents serve as benchmarks for Nigeria’s human rights standards and its commitment to fulfilling international and national human rights obligations. The Council urged the government to allocate the necessary resources for their full implementation.
Furthermore, the council reviewed complaints of human rights violations received by the Commission’s Complaint Handling Departments. These complaints, covering civil and political rights, economic, social, and cultural rights, women’s and children’s rights, and vulnerable groups, were promptly addressed in adherence to established procedures, demonstrating the NHRC’s unwavering commitment to the promotion and protection of human rights.
The Governing Council of the NHRC is an independent, policy-driven, and internationally recognised body committed to addressing critical human rights issues and strengthening their promotion and protection in Nigeria.
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