The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has made a fervent appeal to the Nigerian public to contribute to the Human Rights Fund, which remains entirely unfunded.
Executive Secretary of NHRC, Tony Ojukwu made the appeal during an awareness walk in Abuja on International Human Rights Day, celebrated annually on December 10.
Ojukwu emphasised the critical need for public support, stating: “We need resources because all these initiatives cannot be accomplished without funding. The government is making efforts, but there is much more to be done.”
He urged Nigerians to take ownership of human rights advocacy, saying, “It is not solely the government’s responsibility to address human rights violations; private individuals and companies can also play a significant role.”
Ojukwu who lauded RoLAC for its valuable support, which helped ensure the programme’s success said: “We need resources, because all these things cannot be done without resources. The government is trying, but they can do a lot better, they can do a lot more. And also note that it is not only for the government to assist in addressing human rights violations.
“Private individuals, companies, can also donate. It doesn’t have to be cash, they can donate equipment. They can donate computers, they can donate laptops, they can donate vehicles. They can donate facilities, tables, chairs, all those kinds of things’ll all help.
“So we call upon Nigerians to see addressing the rights of Nigerians as a common problem, not only to be left to the government. There is a Human Rights Fund, nobody has donated one naira to that fund. Why can’t we have a lot of private individuals in this country that can afford to donate N100 million, and it will not mean anything to them.
“And will be happy with the number of displaced persons, the number of people begging on the streets, the number of children who cannot go to school, the number of women who are thrown out of their homes, the number of children who are wandering on the streets who have no shelter? All these are, you can see, when you watch the dashboard every month, you see how many children have been abandoned, because the parents can no longer bear the responsibilities.”
The awareness walk, organised in collaboration with the Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption (RoLAC), funded by the European Union and implemented by International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA), featured participants marching from Eagles Square to the NHRC headquarters in Maitama.
They carried placards with powerful messages such as “Stand for equality, fight for humanity” and “Break the chains of inequality, advance human rights.”
Chairperson of the NHRC Governing Council, Salamatu Suleiman, echoed Ojukwu’s sentiments, stressing that human rights should be celebrated every day, not just on designated occasions like International Human Rights Day.
“We must focus on out-of-school children; if they are educated, it will eliminate many societal vices,” she said, stressing that emphasis must be placed on out-of-school children because if they are educated, it will eliminate vices in the society.
The International Human Rights Day is celebrated annually on December 10 to commemorate the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR).
It is the highpoint of the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-based Violence which commenced on November 25.
