The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Human Rights Day

  • Human Rights Day: Obaseki parades efforts at upholding human dignity

    The Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has said that the state government has advanced a number of policies and legislations to uphold human rights in the state, noting that the rule of law remains a major cornerstone of his administration’s policy drive.

    The governor said this in commemoration of the Human Rights Day, marked every December 10, by the United Nation. This year marks the 70th anniversary of the day, which observance began in 1948, the year the UN adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

    The governor said that the state government places huge premium on human rights, which is why a number of reforms and policies pushed by government are those that uphold the dignity of man and places no one above the law.

    According to him, “As we mark Human Rights Day, it is instructive that we have to, as a government, demonstrate a commitment to upholding the rights of every Edo resident. From the Child Rights Law; to the Law for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons; and efforts at checking child abuse; as well as reforms in property rights and a number of other such legislation and policies, we are enthroning respect for every citizen’s right as a key aspect of our development efforts.

    Read Also: Obaseki presents two-year score card

    “We have through the law prohibiting trafficking in persons set up the Edo State Taskforce Against Human Trafficking (ETAHT), which will ensure the prosecution of persons who debase the dignity of others in form of human trafficking for pecuniary gains. We have recorded tremendous support from the international community in these efforts and we intend to intensify the campaign.”

    Noting that the state government doesn’t take lightly the task to protect children from predatory paedophiles, he said, “We have launched an all-out war against sexual predators in our midst to ensure that the rights of children are protected. This is part of the overall strategy to enforce the Child Rights Law.”

    The governor also noted that the state government is in the process of setting up the office of the public defender for those without access to legal representation and has set up a committee on the prerogative of mercy to help decongest prisons.

    According to the UN, “Human Rights Day is observed every year on December 10 – the day the United Nations General Assembly adopted, in 1948, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. This year, Human Rights Day marks the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, a milestone document that proclaimed the inalienable rights which everyone is inherently entitled to as a human being – regardless of race, colour, religion, sex, language, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status. It is the most translated document in the world, available in more than 500 languages.”

  • WACC Launches End News Media sexism campaign

    WACC Launches End News Media sexism campaign

    The World Association for Christian Communication (WACC), the Global Media Monitoring Project (GMMP) Network and other partners have launched a campaign to end news media sexism by 2020.

    The commencement date of the campaign coincides with Human Rights Day to underline gender  equality in the media as a human rights issue.

    The “End News Media Sexism” campaign will encourage and assist national advocacy to change media policy and journalistic practice.

    The campaign aims to support and highlight intensive efforts in several countries with  the hope that new evidence will emerge on strategies that work to bring about fair and equal representation of women and men in the news media.

    “This is a call for action to all those who are committed to gender equality. Media have a significant impact on how we perceive our reality” comments Rev. Dr Karin Achtelstetter, General Secretary of WACC. “The campaign will tackle these issues and challenge media outlets to take professional ethics for gender-fair practice seriously.”

    WACC is the General Secretary of the Global Alliance on Media and Gender  (GAMAG), a global network of media organisations, civil society and other actors interested in gender equality in and through the media.

    The campaign follows on the heels of the launch of the Step It Up for Gender  Equality Media Compact by the UN agency responsible for gender equality UN Women to urge media organisations to play their part in advancing gender equality and women’s rights.

    The campaign is informed by the results of media monitoring research by the GMMP network in 114 countries.

    Conducted over a 20-year period, the research found persistent severe disparity between news media portrayal and representation of women and men. On several key indicators of gender equality in the media, the research revealed that progress had either slowed down or ground to a halt.

    The “End News Media Sexism” campaign takes a variety of approaches to bring about news media accountability for gender equality.

    Various tools are provided for audiences to gain a critical awareness of gender issues in media content and to engage with their local media. The tools available at http://whomakesthenews.org/advocacy/end-news-media-sexism-by-2020 include a scorecard on which media will be rated on their performance on key indicators of gender-sensitive reporting.

    For more information, please visit the campaign website at http://whomakesthenews.org/advocacy/end-news-media-sexism-by-2020 or contact

    Sara Speicher, ss@waccglobal.org, +44 7821 860 723 or +44 7985 276 515.

  • Human Rights Day: ‘Stand for someone’s rights today, everyday’ – Ban

    Human Rights Day: ‘Stand for someone’s rights today, everyday’ – Ban

    The global community has been challenged to rise up individually and collectively, for the protection of the rights of people around them at all times.

    UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who made the remarks in his message to mark the 2016 Human Rights Day, observed on Dec. 10, said, “upholding human rights is in the interest of all”.

    “All of us can and must act in our daily lives to advance the human rights of the people around us.

    “This is the driving force behind a new global campaign being launched by the United Nations Human Rights Office “Stand Up for Someone’s Rights Today”.

    “Wherever we are, each of us can make a difference for human rights:  in our neighbourhoods, in school, at work, on social media, at home and even in sporting arenas across the world.

    “Together, let us stand up for someone’s rights today, tomorrow and every day,” the UN scribe said.

    Ban pointed out that he had also underscored that human rights were at the heart of the work and identity of the UN, adding that this understanding is at the core of its ‘Human Rights Up Front’ initiative.

    He said that the Universal Declaration of Human Rights reminded us that recognition of “the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family was the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world”.

    “Step by step, we can build a future based on our shared values of equality and human dignity.

    “That is the spirit that underlies our recently launched “Together” campaign to fight the xenophobia faced by so many refugees and migrants.

    “That is also the spirit we will need to combat extremism, halt the erosion of respect for international humanitarian law, and defend civil society groups facing increasingly harsh measures aimed at preventing them from fulfilling their vital role.

    “The United Nations, along with partners around the globe, must continue to strengthen responses to abuses, and work better to prevent human rights crises.”

    He said he had repeatedly stressed the interdependence of the three pillars of the United Nations:  peace, sustainable development and human rights over the last eight years.

    ”Together, the three pillars form the basis of resilient and cohesive societies rooted in inclusion, justice and the rule of law,” the UN chief said.

  • Torture entrenched in Chinese justice system – UN

    Torture entrenched in Chinese justice system – UN

    The United Nations on Thursday slammed ongoing rights abuses in China’s courts and prisons in spite of legislation outlawing torture in the country.

    The UN Committee against Torture said in Geneva during the presentation of a report that it remained seriously concerned over consistent reports indicating that torture and ill-treatment were still deeply entrenched in the criminal justice system.

    The international rights group welcomed the UN report, marking the Human Rights Day.
    The report said that the abuses were compounded by the institutional structures of China’s justice system, which failed to ensure transparency and accountability.

    It pointed out that the structure also overly relied on confessions as the basis for convictions.

    Sharon Hom, Head of Group Human Rights in China, said the committee was deeply concerned about the unprecedented detention and interrogation of, reportedly, more than 200 lawyers and activists since July 9, 2015.

    “Of those, 25 remain reportedly under residential surveillance at a designated location and four are allegedly unaccounted for.”

    She said the observation was a clear message for the international community to see through China’s denial of documented facts