National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has entered into a partnership with Caritas Development and Health Initiative (CDHI) to safeguard the rights of the vulnerable groups in Nigeria.
The collaboration was solidified yesterday through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at safeguarding the rights of women, children, and youths across the nation.
Speaking during the signing ceremony, the director of Legal Department, National Human Rights Commission, Rabi Anwar, expressed the commission’s desire to engage a broad spectrum of individuals to effectively combat human rights violations and emphasized the need for collective action.
Recognising its limitations in reaching Nigeria’s vast population of over 200 million, Rabi who was represented by the deputy director, Legal Department, Pwadumdi Okoh urged organisations with aligned mandates to collaborate.
She said, “The goal is inclusivity; therefore, any entity sharing the commission’s objectives is encouraged to join forces.”
On her part, the executive director, Caritas Development and Health Initiative, Blessing Olugbuyi, stated that the primary objective of the partnership is to amplify and bolster the ongoing efforts of the National Human Rights Commission in upholding human rights standards.
Recognising the persisting challenges and the prevalence of unresolved cases of human rights violations, both parties have committed to working together to address these pressing issues.
She emphasised her organisation’s dedication to promoting the well-being, health, education, and rights of vulnerable groups, particularly women, children, and young people.
She said, “Through this collaboration, the organisation aims to contribute significantly to the protection and advocacy of these rights, especially amidst the numerous challenges facing the nation.
“Instances of domestic violence, child molestation, marital abuse, and violence within educational settings have been identified as critical areas that demand urgent attention.
“The partnership between Caritas Development and Health Initiative and the National Human Rights Commission holds particular significance in addressing these issues and ensuring that justice is served for those affected.”
With seven years of experience since its establishment in 2017, she said that the organisation has actively engaged in various initiatives across diverse Nigerian communities.
“These initiatives have focused on raising awareness of fundamental human rights, combatting gender-based violence, and advocating for the rights of women and children,” she said.
She added that the success of these endeavours has been attributed to collaborative efforts with esteemed partners such as UNICEF, UNESCO, and others.
She however, stated that the newly formed partnership with the National Human Rights Commission marks a significant milestone in the collective pursuit of human rights protection and social justice across Nigeria.
