The Federal Commissioner, National Commission for Refugees Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI), Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, has called for the domestication of the African Union Convention on Internally Displaced Persons (Kampala Convention).
According to her, Article 3 (2) provides that state parties should domesticate or incorporate the Convention into their laws by enacting or amending relevant legislation.
Addressing delegates and international partners yesterday in Lagos, Sulaiman-Ibrahim said the Kampala Convention was a pioneering legally-binding instrument on internally displaced places (IDPs).
According to her, it is a standard-setting international instrument of regional scope on how to provide protection and assistance as well as durable solutions for IDPs in Africa.
Sulaiman-Ibrahim believes the domestication would address the unique characteristics of internal displacement in African countries, while also providing a clearer and stronger legal basis for the protection of IDPs.
“It provides an appropriate legal framework for the protection and assistance of IDPs.
“It is geared towards ending internal displacements by addressing the root causes, providing durable solutions, and enhancing or addressing gaps where no legal instrument protects the housing, land, and property (HLP) rights of the vulnerable IDPs,” she said.
Sulaiman-Ibrahimdescribed the ongoing workshop on the Convention as a worthwhile initiative.
The federal commissioner, the chief host of the event, applauded the commitment and consistent efforts of President Muhammadu Buhari and the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management, Hajiya Sadiya Umar Farouq.
She said they ensured a coordinated approach toward social inclusion to combat the effects of poverty, for strengthening the nation’s existing social safety net initiatives and providing succour for Persons of Concern.
Representative of the United Nation Refugee Agency, Deputy Representative, (Protection), John McKissick, said the collective vision is that all internally displaced people can find protection from harm, live peacefully, learn, work and flourish as contributing members of the communities in which they live, and find longer-term solutions to build a secure future, leaving no one behind.
The UNHCR chief promised to continue to support the process to final domestication.
“We are also committed to closely following the processes to ensure state laws are consistent with the Kampala Convention.
“We will mobilise support and provide technical expertise where required.
“We will scale up capacity building with different stakeholders, including the affected population, on the principles and benefits of the Convention, and ultimately focus our advocacy on the government for resource allocation towards implementation,” he said.