December 10 was Human Rights Day to commemorate the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by the United Nations General Assembly.The day was marked in Nigeria. Adebisi Onanuga and Remilekun Osasona report.
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights by the United Nations General Assembly was held on Tuesday, last week.It also marked the 20th year of the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action, when member-countries moved against violation of other’s right.
In Lagos, the state government, civil society groups and individuals joined in the celebration.
With the theme “Rights of people living with disabilities, the activities also included a Human rights essay and debate competition among private and public schools at Alausa, Ikeja.
Governor Mr Babatunde Fashola (SAN), at the event, reiterated his commitment to the protection of citizens’ rights, including that of the physically challenged.
He said the state would redesign its public infrastructure to accommodate the needs of the physically challenged.
The government, he said, was using the celebration to reaffirm its readiness to continue to uphold the rights of Lagosians, adding that no one is able or disabled by choice.
The governor, represented by the state’s Attorney-General and Commissioner of Justice, Ade Ipaye, said the state has passed the Special People’s Law in 2011 to address the challenges being faced by the people living with disabilities.
Fashola said the state has also provided that the physically challenged enjoy equal opportunity in terms of employment, stressing: “The state is an equal opportunity employer without discriminating against prospective employees on the ground of physical infirmity.”
To buttress this view, the governor said not less than four state counsels, who are physically challenged, have been employed in the Ministry of Justice, pointing out that they are performing excellently well.
The governor, however, urged the citizens to be responsible and not to encroach on other people’s rights as there are no absolute rights.
Earlier, in a key address, the Dean of Law, University of Lagos, Prof Imran Oluwole Smith, remarked that there could not be a human right without the rights of people with disabilities.
Prof. Smith, who was represented by the Head of Department, Private and Property Law of the university, Dr Chinwuba Nwudego, suggested that a disability fund be put in place and administered by the Office of Disability Affairs and into which individuals, corporate bodies and the government might make contributions. The purpose of the fund, he said, would be to advance the cause of persons with disabilities. He, however, noted that the legislative progression on the recognition and protection of rights of persons with disabilities among the states in Nigeria had been slow and unimpressive given the multitude of efforts by the international community.
He, therefore, urged other state governments to emulate the Lagos government in recognising the rights of the special people’s rights by passing disability rights.
Earlier, the Solicitor-General, Mr. Lawal Pedro (SAN), remarked that disability should not prevent any person from achieving success.
He berated those who discriminate against disabled persons.
Pedro said records had shown that physically challenged persons performed better than others if given the opportunity.
Prior to the Human Right Day, the UN had also on November 25, 2013 marked the International Day to end violence against women. The UN had initiated a 16-day action programme, which ended on the human rights day. The National Information Officer/Officer-in-Charge of the United Nations Information Centre (UNIC), Lagos, Mr. Oluseyi Soremekun, during a visit to Ikoyi Prisons last Monday, said the programme kicked off with 16 days of activisim against gender-based violence campaign, explaining that the campaign called on individuals and civil society groups around the world to act to end violence against women and girls.
He said this year’s human rights day, which has as theme, “working for your rights” and coincided with the 20 years of Vienna Declaration, also marks the beginning of a renewed effort to strengthen and to further implement human rights instruments that have been constructed on the foundation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights since 1948.
He, therefore, counselled parents and guardians to respect the child rights, adding:”violence against women and girls is a violation of human rights. Let this be stopped. If we all respect the rights of one another, there would be less friction and violence in the society,” he said.
The Chief Judge of Lagos State, Justice Ayotunde Phillips stressed the need to protect and respect the rights of other people, irrespective of tribe, religion and other circumstances during the Prison organised by the UN in collaboration with the Lagos State judiciary and National Human Rights Commission (NHRC).
The Chief Judge, who was represented by the Chief Registrar, Mrs. Olamide Akinkugbe said that it is part of human rights to dispense justice speedily and fairly, no matter whose horse is gored. “Justice means the prisons are decongested and freedom is given to those deserving it”, she said adding that she remained committed to prison decongestion and that the exercise would be carried out quarterly in the state.
Justice Phillips identified rape, domestic violence, marriage of underaged girl, kidnapping for money among other society vices posing challenges to human rights.
She suggested that more awareness should be created on what constitute human rights to enlighten the people across the world and emphasised that the issue should be kept on the front burner of UN action programme at all time.
Lagos lawyer, Mr Femi Falana has, however, called for a new approach in the celebration of the Rights Day.
He counselled human rights bodies to start paying attention to the enforcement and implementation of socio-economic rights.
Falana, in a statement to mark the day, told the NHRC and non-state actors involved in the defence and promotion of human rights to appreciate the fact that political and civil rights are meaningless to the majority of our people who are battling with deprivation.
He argued that the rights to life has no meaning to people who have no means of livelihood or who cannot afford medical expenses when they fall sick while freedom of expression is of no relevance to millions of illiterate people adding that it is high time human rights bodies in Africa paid due regard to the enforcement and implementation of socio-economic rights.
He regreted that socio-economic rights have been deliberately made non-justiciable in the Constitution in the country.
“Consequently, the Government cannot be dragged to court for its failure to provide adequate funds for education, health, housing, transportation and employment,” he noted.
According to him, the Supreme Court has upheld that such laws are enforceable by our courts. “It is on record that our municipal courts and the Community Court of Justice (ECOWAS Court) have begun to enforce the socio-economic rights of Nigerians in accordance with the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act Cap A 9 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004,” he stated.
UN Secretary-General Mr. Ban Ki-moon, in a statement, urged member-states to fulfil the promises they made at the Vienna Conference 20 years ago to end violence against women and girl child and ensure respect for the rights of others.
He said the UN secretariat was committed to the provision of funds and programmes to vigilance and courage to fight human rights violation.
He added that the promotion of human rights remained one of the core purposes of the UN since it was founded.
“The key to success is the political will of member-states. It is the states, in the first instance, that are obliged to protect human rights and prevent violations at a national level and to stand up when other states fail to live up to their commitments,” he added.
