By Maureen Okon
Abuja – The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has called on Nigerians to report all Human Rights Violations to the appropriate government agencies.
Mr Hilary Ogbonna, the Senior Human Rights Advisor for NHRC, made the call at the Youth Dialogue on Human Rights organised by the United Nations (UN) and NHRC in Abuja.
The dialogue was to commemorate the International Human Rights Day, marked yearly on Dec. 10 to create awareness and mobilise political will to promote respect for the rights and freedom enshrined by the declaration of human rights adopted by the UN.
Ogbonna urged young people to be cognisant of the existing instruments that government had passed into laws before talking extensively about them.
He added that some of the human rights laws in existence had been passed into law long before now, including the Universal Basic Education (UBE) which is a human right law in Nigeria today.
According to the advisor, some states in the country have set up UBE board to help in responding rapidly to those going against the human rights violation in their states.
“So, when you go to your states UBE is now a law and it is a human right, also is the human rights under the Child Rights Act that is applicable in the FCT and more than 20 states in Nigeria, so it is important you have that knowledge.
“The right to health in chapter two of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is captured as unenforceable but government has gone beyond that to pass the National Health Insurance Act.
“Also government has pass the National Primary Healthcare Act, all of these acts impose obligations on government to guarantee the right to health, I’m saying this so that you will not use your hand to short-change yourself.
“African Chapter on Human and People’s Rights is a law in Nigeria, it’s not a treaty, ” the senior advisor said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that some of the youths projected the challenges that young people faced constantly due to the failed government institutions as regards to human rights violations.
They mentioned the right to job, security, creating enabling environment for federal and states schools to function as well as the right to information, especially free access to the social media platforms as a means of new age information hub.
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights says recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom , justice and peace in the world.
The declaration is a common standard of achievement for all people and all nations, to the end that every individual and every organ of society keeps this declaration constantly in mind.
Also, at the end of the dialogue lessons were learnt by the the participants’ contribution, suggestions on best way to enlighten Nigerian youths best practice and how to take action when one’s rights have been violated. (NAN/vitalnewsngr.com)
