The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), in collaboration with civil society organisations and other stakeholders, has held a one-day town hall meeting where they brainstormed on issues of human rights in the North West region of the country.
At the opening of the meeting, held at the new commission’s complex in Birnin Kebbi, chairperson of the commission’s governing council, Dr Salamatu H. Suleiman, sought to strengthen human rights in the catchment area, hence the reason to organise such a crucial town hall meeting with stakeholders.
She called on both CSOs and NGOs to contribute to the success of the commission through sustained advocacy and awareness on gender-based violence, out-of-school children and banditry.
She added that the commission remains a vehicle through which the rights of Nigerian citizens are protected within the ambit of the law.
The governing chairperson, however, tasked parents to facilitate school enrolments, which, according to her, was a solution to the high number of out-of-school children.
Earlier, the executive secretary and chief executive officer of NHRC, Dr Tony Ojukwu, said human rights are not privileges but the bedrock of citizens’ collective well-being. Speakers at the meeting appealed to the commission to sustain an aggressive stand against gender-based violence at home and elsewhere.
