The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has tasked the Federal Government to domesticate Article 34 of the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights.
Dr Salamatu Suleiman, Chairperson of the NHRC’s Governing Council, made the appeal at a town hall meeting in Abuja on the future of human rights litigation in Nigeria.
The town hall meeting was the first in a series of events planned to commemorate Human Rights Day on December 6.
Suleiman stated that the Protocol’s domestication would provide individuals with direct access to the African Commission, enabling a more accessible and efficient method for seeking remedies for human rights violations.
According to her, the event aims to advance the promotion, protection, and enforcement of human rights in Nigeria, as well as to raise awareness among stakeholders about crucial human rights concerns.
She emphasised that the task handed to the National Human Rights Commission was more than just a legal requirement.
“It is a moral imperative, a call to action to build a society where dignity, freedom, and justice are the cornerstones of our national life.
“Specifically chapters II and IV, the Fundamental Rights (Enforcement Procedure) Rules, and the domesticated African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights,” she said.
