Agencies responsible for the protection of human rights: Full list
Human rights globally refer to privileges that come with every human being when they are born. These rights are about 30 in number and include freedom of thought, association, right to own things and right to public assembly, among others. Below is a list of agencies responsible for the protection of human rights.
Source: UGC
Across the world, countries, organisations and various institutions are expected to protect these rights by behaving in certain manners previously agreed upon in various laws and treaties. In this article, we will list and explain ten agencies responsible for the protection of human rights in Nigeria.
Agencies responsible for the protection of human rights
To ensure that the agreements are kept, some agencies were created to monitor and report violations and, in some extreme cases, force countries and organisations to abide by the human rights rules.
Human rights are enshrined in numerous countries' constitutions around the world. Legal and institutional systems protect human rights guaranteed by these constitutions.
The list of agencies responsible for the protection of human rights in Nigeria pdf has concentrated on the institutional mechanisms for human rights protection in Nigeria. It addresses the significance of human rights and the various institutions involved in human rights protection in Nigeria.
What are the agencies responsible for the protection of human rights in Nigeria? Here are 10 agencies responsible for the protection of human rights SS1.
1. Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
It is the leading UN entity on human rights. They stand for the global commitment to advancing and defending the full range of freedoms and rights guaranteed by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Their goal is to address the most urgent human rights breaches, both chronic and recent, especially those that put life in immediate danger.
2. Amnesty International
Amnesty International is a global movement of over seven million people that take injustice personally and are unaffiliated with any political ideology, religion, or economic interest.
The movement advocates for a world in which all people have equal access to human rights. Amnesty International's main activities are research, advocacy, lobbying, and campaigns and action.
3. International Labour Organization
The organisation was established in 1919 as a result of the Treaty of Versailles, which ended World War I to express the conviction that social justice must be the foundation of any durable, universal peace.
The ILO's core objectives are to advance workers' rights at work, foster possibilities for decent employment, reinforce social protection, and increase communication about issues relating to the workplace.
4. Human Rights Watch
The organisation looks into and documents violations of human rights throughout the world. It employs people, most of whom are national experts, attorneys, journalists, and human rights defenders.
Source: UGC
In addition, the organisation works with and argues for governments, corporations, and other groups to reform their laws and policies.
5. African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights
The organisation was founded by the African Charter. Protection of human and peoples' rights, promotion of human and peoples' rights, and interpretation of the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights are some of its main responsibilities.
6. Global Rights
An international non-governmental organisation dedicated to advancing human rights, Global Rights was founded in Washington in 1978.
The organisation relocated to Nigeria in 2014 and now collaborates with local activists in Latin America, Asia, and Africa to create organisations that advance and defend the rights of underrepresented groups.
It focuses its efforts on working on cross-cutting issues, including women's rights, access to justice, the security of human rights, and resource governance
7. International Federation for Human Rights
The organisations that make up the IFHR are active in preserving and promoting respect for the civil, political, economic, social, and cultural rights outlined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
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The organisation is dedicated to supporting victims of human rights abuses and bringing those responsible for committing international crimes to justice.
8. Human Rights Foundation
The Human Rights Foundation is a nonprofit group that emphasises closed societies while promoting and defending human rights worldwide. To defend, equip, and provide a platform for human rights activists who are fearlessly transforming their communities and nations, they have teamed up with activists who are changing the globe.
9. Human Rights House Foundation
The Human Rights House Foundation assists and empowers human rights advocates and their organisations. The HRHF supports the rights to free speech, association, and assembly and the right to advocate for human rights.
10. International Society for Human Rights
The ISHR was established to assist others who share its concept. Worldwide, ISHR has about 30k members spread throughout 38 nations.
Supporting people who face prejudice, persecution, or are imprisoned due to their political ideas or religious affiliations is one of its key areas of activity.
NB: Some of these agencies have branches worldwide, including in Nigeria.
National Human Rights Commission (NHRC)
Source: UGC
In Nigeria, the body nationally recognised as the protector of human rights in the country is the NHRC, located at Aguiyi Ironsi street, Maitama, in the capital city Abuja.
According to the Nigeria Governance Project, the NHRC has a budgetary allocation of about N800m, with which it battles violations of the rights of citizens of the world's largest black population.
The law establishing the NHRC says the agency's main duty is to protect Nigerians' rights in line with the Nigerian Constitution's provisions and the African and United Nations charters on human and peoples' rights.
The work of the NHRC is crucial because Nigeria is a signatory to the Universal Declaration on Human Rights and other international human rights treaties.
The NHRC has offices in the six geo-political regions of the country as well as another in Abuja that is different from its headquarters.
Office of the Public Defender (OPD)
Some of the 36 states in Nigeria also have their respective human rights bodies. One such state is Lagos, which has the Office of the Public Defender (OPD). The agency's mission is to "safeguard the fundamental human rights and freedom of the vulnerable and disadvantaged groups".
Among other functions, the OPD provides legal support for those who cannot afford it. It also does the same for anybody who feels that justice has been miscarried in their case.
If you cannot get justice for trampling on your rights at the NHRC or the OPD, several other countries' other human rights organisations can help you out, depending on the nature of the violations. These agencies include:
- Human Rights Law Service (HURILAWS)
- Access to Justice
- Child Rights and Rehabilitation Network
- Devatop Centre for Africa Development
- Women Trafficking and Child Labour Eradication Foundation
- Youths For Human Rights Protection and Transparency Initiative
- Safe Child Africa
Roles of agencies responsible for the protection of human rights
Below are the key roles of agencies that protect human rights in Nigeria.
- Fighting specific human rights violations directly.
- Helping those whose rights have been infringed directly
- Advocating for modifications to domestic, regional, or international law
- Supporting the development of the laws' actual content.
- Encouraging public awareness of and adherence to human rights
- They hold those who violate human rights accountable.
- They deliver crucial medical care.
How are human rights protected in Nigeria?
Nigeria's efforts to safeguard and advance human rights go beyond merely establishing institutional frameworks and constitutional measures to ensure their enforcement. Nigeria's adoption and ratification of important international human rights instruments demonstrate its commitment to the cause of human rights.
What organization fights for human rights in Nigeria?
The Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO) is one of Nigeria's largest human rights organizations.
What do human rights organizations do?
The organizations ensure everyone's rights are respected.
There are many agencies responsible for the protection of human rights. Their fundamental objective is to ensure that every person is treated fairly and has access to their rights without being judged. The realisation of civil, cultural, economic, political, and social rights, especially the right to progress, is given equal weight.
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Akinyemi Akinrujomu Akinyemi Akinrujomu is a professionally-trained journalist with over 17 years of experience. His knowledge spans print, broadcast, and online media. He has worked in several top media organizations in Nigeria. He has also pioneered several print media publications. He is a graduate of History and International Studies from the Lagos State University and he also holds a professional National Diploma in Journalism. He loves reading, travelling and listening to music.
Adrianna Simwa (Lifestyle writer) Adrianna Simwa is a content writer at Legit.ng where she has worked since mid-2022. She has written for many periodicals on a variety of subjects, including news, celebrities, and lifestyle, for more than three years. She has worked for The Hoth, The Standard Group and Triple P Media. Adrianna graduated from Nairobi University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in 2020. In 2023, Simwa finished the AFP course on Digital Investigation Techniques. You can reach her through her email: adriannasimwa@gmail.com
