Lawyers Launch Human Rights Community Meetings In Local Languages

The Call a Lawyer Initiative, has launched a human rights community meeting series with the aim of localizing the relevance and observance of human rights laws in local communities across Nigeria, and promote the rule of law and ensure equal access to justice.

Call A Lawyer Initiative is a group of young lawyers committed to providing pro bono legal services and representation of vulnerable, indigent and marginalised individuals and communities who cannot afford legal representation in Nigeria, operates through three pillars of pro bono legal representation, human rights laws awareness, and a release and employ scheme.

Executive Director of initiative, Ekpa Stanley, while speaking at the unveiling in Abuja, noted that the organization has interpreted the provisions of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) and other relevant human rights laws into many local languages and dialects in Nigeria.

Ekpa explained that the Meetings is designed to enlighten local communities on relevant human rights laws in local languages and dialects.

He said: “We have interpreted human rights laws in Nigeria into Nigerian local languages and partnering with relevant stakeholders like the National Human Rights Commission, local branches of the Nigerian Bar Association, the Nigerian Police, Legal Aid Council, Public Complaints Commission, the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), and other relevant stakeholders to hold the Human Rights Community Meetings in different communities across Nigeria.

“The maiden edition of the meeting series is scheduled to hold in Kano, in partnership with the Emir of Kano, at the Emir’s Palace.

“The Kano edition is designed to facilitate the release of some convicted inmates with the option to pay fine but cannot afford the fine option, at the Nigerian Correctional Center in Kano, before the Meeting fixed for September 26, 2023.

“The meeting is expected to teach community leaders, market women, union leaders, students, Okada riders and commuters on their basic human rights. The meeting will hold in Hausa language while the interpreted human rights materials will be distributed to participants.”

As part of the initiative, participants will be given the Call a Lawyer unique number for citizens and people of Kano in any case or circumstance of their human rights abuse, violation or infringement and they cannot afford legal representation.

He said Call a Lawyer will partner with the Young Lawyers Forum in Kano to ensure that ordinary and vulnerable citizens in Kano State have access to swift, easy and qualitative legal legal assistance in any case that they cannot afford legal representation or assistance.