The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has enjoined Nigerians to join forces in solidarity to eliminate customs, behaviours and regulations that negatively impact women.
The Executive Secretary of the Commission, Dr. Tony Ojukwu OFR, SAN who made this call in his welcome remarks during the commemoration of the 2024 International Women's Day (IWD) in Abuja observed that investing in women is the cornerstone for building inclusive Societies.
According to the Chief Human Rights Officer of Nigeria, "in a world facing multiple crisis that are putting immense pressure on communities, achieving gender equality is more vital than ever".
Ojukwu opined that ensuring women's and girl's rights across all aspects of life is the only way to secure prosperous and just economies, as well as a healthy planet for future generations.
The Chief Executive Officer of the NHRC noted that apart from finance, there are variety of ways through which the Society could invest in women such as education, mentorship, access to opportunities and by dismantling systemic barriers.
Besides, the Human Rights Advocate harped on promoting policies that ensure equal opportunities, address gender-based violence and close the gender pay gap.
Also, he enumerated major interventions by the Commission which were targeted at addressing the various forms of human rights violations perpetrated against women in the Society, they include: creation of women and children department in the Commission with the aim of effectively addressing violations affecting them, launch of UNSUB Platform to address human rights complaints in real time, establishment of automated call centre with a toll-free line 6472, Presidential Panel on Investigation of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence to immediately deal with SGBV cases brought before the Panel and Hosting of TV Programme on State of Human Rights to educate Nigerian on their rights.
There was a panel discussion involving some Women Human Rights Defenders as well as a film show by Human Rights Rock Film Festival Group to spice up the event.
