From Godwin Tsa, Abuja
The United Nations (UN) has urged Nigeria to properly integrate human rights into the country’s political structures and process.
The UN, Resident and humanitarian coordinator, Mathia Schemale who made the call in Abuja disclosed that the UN has recently signed a new five -year plan with Nigeria towards the development and improvement of human rights.
Schemale who identify negligence as one of the major factors responsible for many challenges in Nigeria seeks an improved adherence and advancement of the rights of her citizens.
He spoke in Abuja at the official launch of National Human Rigts Commission (NHRC) Client response mechanism short code number as part of activities to commemorate the International Human Rights Day.
The National Human Rights Commission instituted the Client Response Mechanism , CRM, with funding from the European Union, EU and United Nations, UN founded spotlight initiative project unded United Nation Development Programme(UNDP) in 2019 using 08006472482.
Since then, the Client Response Mechanism,CRM, has received over 12, 695 calls on human rights issues including sexual and gender-based violence.
Meanwhile, the NHRC in 2022, obtained a short code- 6472, to further improve user experience.
The Spotlight Initiative has continued to support the pilot and use of the short code by integrating it with the existing Client Respone Mechanism.
Speaking further, Schemale said , “The context of Nigeria here is that wherever and whenever humanity values are abandoned, we are all at greater risk so the solutions to the many challenges this country has, are rooted in human rights for sure.
” In this respect I would like to say that we are stepping up our efforts as UN, and working with the government, human rights commission, civil Society organizations and other partners to deliver on the promise that was made in 1948 of achieving human rights for all.”
On his part, the Executive Secretary of the National Human Rights Commission, NHRC, Anthony Ojukwu, SAN, disclosed that the commission is to launch a presidential town hall meeting for presidential candidates toward inculcating rights into political activities in the 2023 elections.
Ojukwu also said that Nigeria as a country needs to urgently input the rights campaigns into the political process and campaign for domestication in the next dispensation.
As part of activities to commemorate the year human rights day, which is celebrated every December 9, Ojukwu said other activities , commission will present a thematic report on Torture, extrajudicial killing and enforced disappearance.