UN, Others Back Bills To Fund, Protect Human Rights Defenders

The United Nations (UN) has thrown its weight behind the bills seeking to protect human rights defenders and sustain contributions to the fund for human rights activities in Nigeria.

Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights gave this indication at the public hearing on Human Rights Defenders Protection and National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) Act Repeal and Re-Enactment Bills at the National Assembly Complex, Abuja on Wednesday.

Speaking at the event organised by the House of Representatives Committee on Human Rights, UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator, Assistant Secretary-General Mohamed Malick-Fall, said those legislative efforts represent critical steps forward in strengthening the institutional framework for human rights protection in Nigeria.

“They will ensure greater alignment with international standards, particularly the Paris Principles on the status and functioning of national human rights institutions, and advance the recognition and safeguards for human rights defenders in line with the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders,” he said.

Represented by Senior Human Rights Adviser, Adwoa Kufuor, Senior Human Rights Adviser, Malick-Fall urged the National Assembly to adopt both bills, assuring that OHCHR is ready to provide technical assistance, including expertise on best practices for NHRIs and the protection of human rights defenders to support Nigeria.

He said, the NHRC bill aligns with the Paris Principles and enhances National Human Rights Institutions (NHRI) compliance in several ways, including strengthening the mandate for prevention and monitoring; promoting implementation of national action plans and ensuring adequate and sustainable funding.

Also speaking, the Programme Director, Development Dynamics, Dr Jude Ohanele, said the enactment of the Human Rights Defenders Protection bill would strengthen Nigeria’s democratic institutions

He said it would improve Nigeria’s international human rights reputation, promote transparency and good governance as well as enhance investors’ confidence through rule-of-law assurances.

Ohanele said that it would reduce conflict by providing lawful channels for grievance expression, protect human rights defenders, adding that it is not an adversarial bill against the state.

In his remarks, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN) raised reservations over Human Rights Defenders Protection Bill.

Represented by the Chief of State Counsel, Reuben Imarha, Fagbemi noted that Nigeria had sufficient legislation to protect human rights.

He said that enacting another law would lead to institutional overlap, legislative confusion, and the duplication of government agency functions.

The minister who acknowledged gaps in human rights protection in the country, urged the assembly to empower existing institutions to enhance implementation capacity.

He said that the ministry was strongly against the Human Rights Defenders Protection Bill, urging the house to jettison the propose legislation.

On the bill for an Act to Repeal the National Human Rights Commission Act, to enact the National Human Rights Commission Bill, 2025, Fagbemi said the ministry was in support, pointing some areas of concern.

He said that Clause 5 (2b) seeks to make it compulsory for business owners to obtain annual human rights compliance certificate.

Fagbemi said that there is no doubts that there are breaches of human rights by business operators but the clause hinders efforts towards ease of doing business in Nigeria and should be reviewed.

He stated that clause 15 seeks to give the commission powers to borrow funds to pursue human rights cases saying that should only be done with the ministry’s isor National Assembly approval to prevent abuse.

The minister said clause 16(2b) seeks to introduce a quasi tax as it proposes that multinationals, public and private businesses operating in the financial oil sector to contribute 0.3 per cent of their annul profit to the commission to purse human right cases.

On his part, the Executive Secretary of National Human Rights Commission, Tony Ojukwu said that business should be compelled to enshrine human rights in their activities.

Ojukwu said the Human Right Fund established in 2010 had not been funded to date saying that the bill seeks to draw funds from the tax reforms to pursue human rights cases.

He said that the bill seeks to ensure speedy enforcement of decisions of the commission through the Federal High Court and to consolidate the independence of the commission among others.

In his remarks, the Executive Director, Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre (PLAC) Clement Nwankwo said the legislations were timely and commended National Human Rights Commission for always thriving to fulfill its mandate.

Nwankwo said there is still much to be done hence, the need for the amendment, urging the National Assembly to grant all the request of the commission and pass the bill into law before the last quarter of the year.