FENRAD marks HRD with call to action against shrinking civic spaces, gender-based violence in Abia state

Stanley Ihedigbo

As the world observes International Human Rights Day, the Foundation for Environmental Rights, Advocacy and Development (FENRAD) has called for collective action to address the pressing issues of human rights backsliding and gender-based violence in Abia State.

According to the Executive Director of FENRAD, Comrade Nelson Nnanna Nwafor urged Nigeria to build stronger institutions to check human rights backsliding, which has become even more pronounced in the current Fourth Republic.

He noted: “This year’s theme is: “Our rights, our future, right now”. For all UN member nations and parties to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDH), it could not be more ideal, as it allows parties ample time to take stock, survey, and review their rights records.

“Nigeria has had both setbacks and breakthroughs in her democratic struggle, especially in the current republic. From the late nineties, before and during the transition to civil rule, to the present time, Nigeria’s rights record has become a global concern. According to the World Justice Project Human Rights and Rule of Law Index release of 2024, Nigeria is ranked 120 out of 140 countries, lower than certain military regimes and autocracies, a record FENRAD says is alarming for “the largest democracy in Africa”,” he explained.

The group Executive Director further explained that the UDH has been domesticated and adopted by nations of the world with many of them incorporating these articles in their constitution. Nigeria dedicated a whole chapter (Chapter Four) out of its eight chapters to Human Rights with 46 sections and forty-five subsections. Among other rights, these include the right to freedom of expression, freedom of speech, freedom of expression, freedom of association, and freedom of thought. Despite this, the rights record keeps hitting an all-time low with unlawful arrests, illegal detention, electoral violence, the existence of armed non-state actor groups, corruption, and weak institutions plaguing Nigeria.

“While the trend remains a huge concern, hopes are still on the horizon, the Foundation says. With 2 million rights-related cases reported in 2024, according to Nigeria’s Human Rights Commission, rights awareness is beginning to grow as a result of the activities of civil society groups, the Commission, and the press. With more such violations and abuses reported, it will become easier to mainstream and amplify rights enforcement gaps and check abuses.

“FENRAD joins the rest of the world in commemoration of International Human Rights Day and calls for collaboration, partnerships, and intentional action among stakeholders across state and non-state actor groups to expand the civic spaces. Country reports from rights groups like Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch had always shown that Nigeria honours the Chapter Four in its constitution in the breach than the observance; this status quo must not remain. There is human rights backsliding in Nigeria, but Nigeria must not remain on the ground for long,” he stressed.

According to him, it remains a beautiful coincidence that the World Day of Rights is being observed at the same time when the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence (GBV) campaign is being pushed.

“The Foundation regrets the surge in domestic or workplace violence against women and girls, especially intimate partner violence and related problems. Since its 2008 inauguration as part of the call to unite against gender-based violence, The 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence campaign has spotlighted issues of domestic and gender-based violence which became more pronounced during the lockdown that attended the global pandemic. Since then, the menace has not let up. The Foundation calls on ministries of justice and women’s affairs, together with other relevant stakeholders, to keep raising the banner high to end this vice.

“Achieving the Nigeria of rights, one where every human, regardless of their gender, race, status, and station in life, is protected remains a priority to FENRAD,” he emphasized.