Nigeria and other African governments have been urged to integrate human rights into their developmental plans, policies and agenda for sustainable development.
The Executive Secretary National Human Rights Commission NHRC in Nigeria, Tony Ojukwu, gave the advice at the 66th United Nations Commission on the Status of Women held in Abuja with the theme: “Interconnectedness between Poverty and other Social Ills”.
The Commission on the Status of Women CSW is the principal global intergovernmental body, dedicated to the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of women.
It is a functional commission of the Economic and Social Council ECOSOC, established through resolution 11(II) of June 21, 1946.
The CSW is instrumental in promoting women’s rights, documenting the reality of women’s lives throughout the world, and shaping global standards on gender equality and the empowerment of women.
Ojukwu while addressing the women, identified poverty as the root of vulnerability, exclusion and the inequalities that gives rise to human rights violations especially on women and girls in Nigeria and many African countries.
He said “those living in poverty are not treated as human beings because they are discriminated against; they are exploited, marginalized, stigmatized, and they are denied access to rights and resources on the basis of their poverty.”
National strategy
Represented by Hillary Ogbonna, the human rights boss urged the Nigerian government to have a comprehensive national strategy to poverty reduction and social exclusion and not injecting energy on economic reforms.
He said “economic reforms have been noted by the UN as the drivers of poverty by privatizing education, power, water, etc.”
The executive Director My Take Initiative, a non-governmental organization, Rosemary Chikwendu said the NGO is concerned with the conditions of some women in Nigeria who are denied rights and privileges due to poverty.
“Lack of education and vocational skills due to childhood poverty, social norms, religious and traditional practices have life-long effects on women.”
She called for women empowerment and inclusion in governance.
Other guests contributed to the program virtually from within and outside Nigeria with a call on government and individuals to accord women economic and social rights.
The event was organized by My Take Initiative in collaboration with the National Human Rights Commission in Nigeria.
Nneka Ukachukwu
