Climate Change: NHRC Inaugurates National Working Group to Protect Human Rights
By Raphael Ekpang
Abuja (Core Reporters) – The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has inaugurated a National Working Group on Human Rights and Climate Change as part of efforts to ensure that Nigeria’s response to climate change prioritises the protection of human rights and the welfare of vulnerable communities.
The Working Group, inaugurated in Abuja, is a collaborative initiative of the NHRC, the Federal Ministry of Environment and the National Council on Climate Change. It is expected to bring together government institutions, civil society organisations, academics and development partners to integrate human rights principles into climate action and policy implementation.
Speaking at the inauguration, the Executive Secretary of the NHRC, Chief Tony Ojukwu (SAN) described climate change as more than an environmental challenge, stressing that it has become a pressing human rights issue affecting millions of Nigerians.
According to him, the devastating impact of floods, droughts, displacement, food insecurity and climate-induced conflicts continues to threaten the rights to life, housing, education, health and livelihoods.
“Climate change is not just about rising temperatures. It is about people. It is about families losing their homes, farmers losing their livelihoods, communities being uprooted and vulnerable people falling deeper into poverty,” Ojukwu said.
He explained that the central question guiding the Working Group would be: “How does climate change affect people?”, noting that every climate policy must be assessed through the lens of its impact on human dignity and fundamental rights.
Representing the Minister of Environment, Dr. Iniobong Abiola Awe reaffirmed the Federal Ministry of Environment’s commitment to implementing inclusive climate policies that protect vulnerable populations and ensure that no one is left behind.
Also speaking, the Director-General of the National Council on Climate Change, Dr. (Mrs.) Omotenioye Majekodunmi, said climate-related disasters such as flooding, migration, farmer-herder conflicts and rising temperatures have become daily realities with significant human rights implications across Nigeria.
She stressed the need for stronger collaboration among stakeholders to develop people-centred climate responses that address both environmental sustainability and social justice.
Founder of the Women Environmental Programme, Dr. Priscilla Achakpa, pledged the continued support of civil society organisations in advancing climate justice, particularly for women, young people and other vulnerable groups who are disproportionately affected by climate change.
The Federal Commissioner for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons, Aliyu Tijani Ahmed, represented by former NHRC Director Mr. Dahiru Bobbo, reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to protecting persons displaced by climate-related disasters.
Similarly, the Presidency, through the Special Assistant to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Climate Change, Comrade Yussuf Olatunji Kelani, assured the Working Group of the Federal Government’s support in promoting climate resilience while safeguarding the rights of affected communities.
The newly inaugurated National Working Group is expected to serve as a platform for coordinating efforts among key stakeholders, promoting rights-based climate governance, strengthening policy implementation and ensuring that communities most affected by climate change have a voice in national decision-making.
Core Reporters report that the inauguration underscores the NHRC’s commitment to ensuring that Nigeria’s climate response places people at the centre of every intervention, recognising that protecting the environment must go hand in hand with protecting human rights.
