The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has called on stakeholders to provide critical feedback and practical recommendations to strengthen the implementation of its 2024–2027 Strategic Plan as it presented the Mid-Term Review (MTR) of the document.
The consultative stakeholders’ meeting, held on Thursday at the Bello Bukhari Auditorium, NHRC Headquarters, Abuja, brought together representatives of government ministries, departments and agencies, development partners, civil society organisations, the diplomatic community, state coordinators, directors and members of the media to assess the Commission’s progress halfway into the implementation of its four-year strategic roadmap.
Presenting the objectives of the meeting, Mrs. Halima Oyedele, Director of Planning, Statistics and Documentation, explained that the Mid-Term Review was conducted to evaluate the Commission’s performance after the first two years of implementing the Strategic Plan.
She said the review examined progress made, key achievements, implementation trends and emerging challenges while assessing performance across the Commission’s 11 strategic priorities at both the headquarters and state office levels.
According to Oyedele, the meeting was convened to validate the findings, analysis and recommendations contained in the review report through stakeholder engagement.
She urged participants to provide technical inputs, observations and constructive feedback that would enrich the report and help identify practical actions for improving implementation during the remaining period of the strategic plan.
“We have reviewed our performance, but there may be issues we overlooked. That is why we have invited our stakeholders to help us enrich the report, identify gaps and recommend practical measures that will strengthen implementation, improve institutional performance and enhance service delivery,” she said.
Oyedele noted that the Strategic Plan covers the period from 2024 to 2027, making the current year an appropriate time to assess progress and recalibrate implementation where necessary.
Earlier in his opening remarks, the Executive Secretary of the NHRC, Dr. Tony Ojukwu, represented by the Director of the Commission’s Abuja Metropolitan Office, Aisha Kaltungo, described the consultation as an important milestone in the implementation of the Commission’s strategic roadmap.
He appreciated stakeholders for their continued partnership in advancing human rights in Nigeria, stressing that their contributions would strengthen the implementation of the Commission’s mandate.
According to the Executive Secretary, the consultation provides an opportunity for stakeholders to assess the progress made so far, identify lessons learned, examine implementation challenges and agree on practical measures for improved performance.
He noted that the Strategic Plan serves as the Commission’s roadmap for strengthening institutional capacity, improving service delivery, expanding access to justice and enhancing the protection of the rights of all Nigerians, especially vulnerable and marginalized groups.
The Executive Secretary said the Mid-Term Review reflected strong institutional commitment, with departments, units and state offices actively contributing to the implementation of the Commission’s programmes.
He, however, acknowledged that the review also identified areas requiring greater attention, including strengthening implementation mechanisms, improving monitoring and reporting systems, building institutional capacity and ensuring the efficient utilisation of available resources.
“The findings provide a solid foundation for improving our performance and impact. Your recommendations today will enrich the review and guide implementation during the remaining period of the strategic plan,” he said.
He commended all officers and stakeholders who contributed to the review process and urged participants to engage actively in the deliberations before formally declaring the consultative stakeholders’ meeting open.
The meeting featured the presentation of the Mid-Term Review Report, which is expected to shape the Commission’s strategic direction and enhance the delivery of its human rights mandate over the remaining period of the 2024–2027 Strategic Plan.
