UN harps on investing in rights, reaping stronger nation
Rights
Fortune Abang
Abuja, Dec. 11, 2025 (NAN) The United Nations (UN) office in Nigeria has emphasised that substantial investment in human‑rights awareness is essential to drive meaningful growth and development across the country.
The UN Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, Mr Mohamed Fall, said this on Thursday in Abuja at a ceremony to commemorate the 2025 International Human Rights Day in Nigeria.
Fall, represented by the UNDP Resident Representative in Nigeria, Ms Elsie Attafuah, spoke during the ceremony organised by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).
The event is with the theme: ”Human Rights: Our everyday essentials – who is telling the story?”
The ceremony was put together for diplomatic partners, civil society leaders and creative storytellers to discuss on how narrative, voice, and cultural expression shape public understanding of human rights.
Fall said, “You are the ones who preserve our folklores, you are the ones who tell stories through morals that millions walk past everyday, and we see some in Lagos and many other places.
“To every photographer capturing protests, everyone on Instagram, TikTok, X, LinkedIn explaining the Child Rights Act in Pidgin, every spoken word, Courts calling out gender-based violence, we must keep the message about human rights to boost the. awareness.
“Every graphic designer turning data on maternal mortality into infographics that go viral, you are the translators of human rights, your everyday essentials.”
Speaking at the event, Dr Anthony Ojukwu, Executive-Secretary, National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), reiterated the need for adequate investment on awareness about human rights to achieve set targets.
According to him, the key instruments of protection of human rights is awareness creation, the first step toward protecting your rights is even knowing you have a right.
“Many of our people don’t even know they have fundamental human rights. After a very long period of military rule and bad governance, some of them have resigned to fate.
“They think that some of these things are normal, you know. So, the first challenge is to create awareness and let them know how they can access assistance if their rights are violated.
“So, the way to go is creation of awareness and the institutions that can help them to access remedy for their rights should be empowered to do so,” Ojukwu said.
Meanwhile, the Ambassador of Belgium to Nigeria, Pieter Leenknegt, described the event as apt in promoting awareness about human rights.
“This can actually bring about realisation of human rights in the country as in other ones, especially given the striking presence of so many different creative arts branches in Nigeria, and how they also internationally are breaking through.
“Also, as embassy we can create conversations around rights induced by displays of art.
“There is no way that you can perfectly realise the right to education or the right to food in just one go or even, hold somebody accountable, so it is a gradual process,” he said.
The event featured curated short film spotlight and creative showcase walkthrough about micro-films and music produced by young Nigerian storyteller illustrating rights in daily life, safety, identity, digital freedom, education and Justice.
Also high-level conversation on how creative humanize people’s rights issues, diplomatic perspectives on narrative power, safeguarding creative freedom, cultural storytelling as civic engagement. (NAN) (http://www.nannews.ng)
FEA/MAM/IAA
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Edited by Modupe Adeloye/Isaac Aregbesola