The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has concluded a two-day capacity development workshop aimed at strengthening the capacity of its staff to effectively apply sub-regional, regional and international human rights treaties in protecting the rights of Nigerians.
The training, organised by the Commission’s Economic and Social Rights Department at the NHRC headquarters in Abuja, focused on key human rights frameworks of the United Nations (UN), African Union (AU) and ECOWAS, with particular emphasis on the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
Speaking at the opening of the workshop, the Executive Secretary of the NHRC, Tony Ojukwu, said the training was essential to the Commission’s mandate of promoting and protecting human rights.
He noted that although Nigeria has ratified and domesticated several international human rights treaties, the real challenge lies in translating those legal obligations into practical benefits for citizens through effective investigation, monitoring and advocacy.
Participants received practical training on leveraging African Union mechanisms for the protection of economic, social and cultural (ESC) rights, the United Nations human rights protection system, and the application of international human rights jurisprudence within the Nigerian legal framework.
The sessions were facilitated by international human rights law experts, Mr. Harry Ogwuche Obe and Mr. Abdulrahman Yakubu, who guided participants through practical case studies and strategies for integrating regional and international legal standards into the Commission’s complaint-handling processes.
Participants described the workshop as timely and impactful, noting that the practical sessions had enhanced their understanding of how to invoke regional and international human rights instruments in protecting citizens’ economic, social and cultural rights.
The NHRC reaffirmed its commitment to continuous staff development, expressing confidence that improved knowledge of international and regional human rights treaties would strengthen the Commission’s ability to advance the rights to health, education, housing, work and an adequate standard of living for all Nigerians.
