Lawyers Without Borders Trains Media, CSOs and Security Agencies on Human Rights
In a bid to address Nigeria's disturbing rate of serious human rights violations, including extra judicial killings, torture, arbitrary detention and ill treatment of detainees by the security agencies, Avocats Sans Frontières France also known as Lawyers Without Borders France (ASF France) has trained 46 participants drawn from the media, civil society and the various security agencies on international human rights standards, within the framework of the EU-funded initiative, "Strengthening National Actors Capacities and Advocate for Ending Serious Human Rights Violations in Nigeria” (SAFE).
The first of the two-part training targeted media professional and civil society actors, while the second targeted personnel of the various security agencies, including the Police, the Army, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corp, the Department of State Services, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, the Nigerian Correctional Service and the Nigerian Immigration Service, among others. Both events took place, in Lagos
While the training for the media and CSOs actors aimed to build their capacity for on proper monitoring, documentation and reporting of human rights violations in the field, the training for security agencies aimed at strengthening their capacity and knowledge on human rights standards, as outlined in various international, regional and national Human Rights Instruments and laws.
“With the training, the CSOs and Media participants have been provided with knowledge on fundamental human rights on various thematic areas, and they were also trained on how to document human rights violations by security agents, as well as how to engage appropriate authorities on enforcement of fundamental human rights violations", the Head of Office, ASF France in Nigeria, Angela Uwandu said.
According to Uwandu, the participants from security agencies, also had first-hand knowledge on adhering to the dictates of the law on fundamental human rights.
"We believe that these trainings will culminate in enhanced accountability for perpetrators of human rights violations, while promoting justice for victims", she stated.
Commending ASF for organising the training, the participants described it as an eye-opener to several human rights issues in Nigeria, and said they had been empowered to monitor and gather information, using the right tools and right sources, and reporting such issues for public attention.
The SAFE project is currently implemented by Avocats Sans Frontières France in Nigeria, with support from the European Union in partnership with the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and the Carmelite Prisoners’ Interest Organisation (CAPIO), to address core Human Rights violations of extra judicial killings, torture, ill treatment and arbitrary detention by security agencies in Nigeria.