The Executive Secretary of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Dr. Tony Ojukwu OFR SAN has called on the Federal, State and Local Governments to prioritise their respective obligations to respect, protect and fulfil the human rights of Nigerians.
In a statement to commemorate the 2023 Human Rights Day and the Commemoration of the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), the Chief Executive Officer of the NHRC urged governments to use the occasion to “reflect on the tripartite obligations to respect, protect and fulfil human rights and ensure that these are reflected in budgetary, policy, legislative and programmatic activities of government.”
For governments to respond effectively to the socio-economic challenges of poverty, inequalities and security bedeviling the nation, the Senior Advocate of Nigeria called on policy makers to adopt human rights-based approaches which will “implement to the letter, the Fundamental Objectives and Directive Principles of State Policy enshrined in Chapter 2 of the Constitution, by placing the security and welfare of Nigerians above personal, partisan, ethnic and religious interests and considerations.”
According to Dr. Ojukwu, adopting human rights-based approaches to economic and policy reforms will ensure that government prioritises achievement of its obligations to fulfil the human rights of all Nigerians.
The Executive Secretary also used the occasion to urge law enforcement and security agencies “to reflect on the past and imbibe practices that respect the fundamental rights of citizens” in the performance of their constitutional roles.
Recall that the Nigeria’s National Human Rights Commission was established by the NHRC (Establishment) Act of 1995 and amended in 2010 under Nigeria’s obligations to the Vienna Declaration on Human Rights and the Paris Principles. The NHRC is a Grade A independent Human Rights Institution with the mandate to promote and protect human rights in Nigeria and also serves as extra-legal and quasi-judicial mechanisms in the enforcement of human rights in Nigeria.
Also, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) was adopted by the UN General Assembly Resolution 217A of 10 December 1948 as “a common standard of achievement for all peoples and all nations”, culminating almost 3 years of deliberation on an international bill of rights to guide the Member State following the carnage of the preceding two world wars.
Human Rights Day was proclaimed by the 317th Plenary Meeting of the General Assembly on 4 December 1950 to be celebrated on December 10 every year in honour of the adoption and proclamation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) on 10 December 1948. In the General Assembly Resolution 423(V) of 1950, the United Nations called on all member states and any other interested organizations to celebrate the day as they saw fit.
According to Ojukwu,, “On behalf of the National Human Rights Commission, I want to wish you all a Happy Human Rights Day. Today (Sunday) and every day, we acknowledge the sterling works of Human Rights defenders, civil society organisations, labour unions, women organisations, Nigerian youths and students, in pursuit of a world of human rights anchored in justice, equity and human solidarity.
