//-COMMEMORATING INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS DAY: NGOs COLLABORATE TO ORGANIZE HUMAN RIGHTS LECTURE AND NATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS AWARD IN NIGERIA-//

COMMEMORATING INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS DAY: NGOs COLLABORATE TO ORGANIZE HUMAN RIGHTS LECTURE AND NATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS AWARD IN NIGERIA

In recognition of the past efforts of some stakeholders in the promotion of human rights in Nigeria and in order to encourage them, a coalition of NGOs such as Centre for Human Rights Education & Reporting, Constitutional Watch, Helping Hands for Africa, Centre for Genuine Democracy in Nigeria, Initiative for Democracy and Good Governance, Movement for the Protection of African Child, Centre for Human Rights and Democracy, Centre for Research and Information Management, International Altar Call Magazine, The View Magazine and others have decided to confer on them human rights award to commemorate the 61st anniversary of the adoption of University Declaration of Human Rights by the United Nations on the 10th December, 2009.

The nominees for this year’s award include, the President of Nigerian Bar Association, Rotimi Akeredolu, former Presidents of Civil Liberties organization Mrs Ayo Obe and Olisa Agbakoba, Babatunde Raji Fashola of Lagos State, Balarabe Musa, Babangida Aliyu of Niger State, Liyel Imoke of Cross River State, Ibrahim Shekarau of Kano State and others.

The award is in different categories including the post humous award category for which Chief Gani Fawehinmi (SAN) Alao Aka-Bashorun and Chima Ubani have been nominated.

No doubt, those who do not know their rights are more vulnerable to having them abused and often lack the language and conceptual framework to effectively advocate for them. To also commemorate the day, the coalition is organizing a human rights lecture to be delivered by internationally acclaimed human rights experts.