Abuja: The Executive Secretary of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Dr. Tony Ojukwu, SAN, has been elected as the President of the National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs) Network. This network consists of countries within the ECOWAS region, including Benin, Cape Verde, Cote D’Ivoire, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Togo.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the election took place during a three-day regional consultation of the ECOWAS sub-region held in Abuja. The theme of the event was ‘Justice for Africans and People of African Descent through Reparations: The Role of National Human Rights Institutions.’ Ojukwu secured eight out of 12 votes, marking his election for a two-year term. He succeeded Dr. Joeseph Withall, the outgoing president of the network and chair of the Network for African National Human Rights Institutions (NANHRI).
The Regional Consultation was organized by the NNHRI-WA under the auspices of the National Human Rights Commission of Nigeria, in collaboration with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS Commission). Co-organizers included the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in West Africa (OHCHR-WARO) and the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS).
In his acceptance speech, Ojukwu expressed gratitude to participants and partners for their support in promoting and protecting human rights. He emphasized that the regional consultation aimed to enhance the roles of NHRIs in West Africa regarding human rights advocacy and protection.
Ojukwu highlighted the significance of upcoming milestones, including the 30th anniversary of the NHRC in Nigeria, 50 years of ECOWAS regional integration, and 80 years since the signing of the UN Charter. He expressed hope that these events would positively impact human rights advancement in the sub-region.
Ojukwu’s vision for the network includes fostering mutual respect and cooperation for human rights promotion in West Africa. He aims to build the capacity of NHRIs to address challenges related to resourcing, governance, and operations. This vision includes establishing a sub-regional Situation Room and Data Centre for monitoring and reporting human rights issues.
Strengthening collaborations with political and judicial institutions in the sub-region, such as the ECOWAS Commission, the ECOWAS Community Court of Justice, and the ECOWAS Parliament, is also a priority. Ojukwu emphasized the importance of consolidating and expanding partnerships with development partners, the UN, international and national NGOs, academic institutions, and media.
Despite acknowledging the challenges posed by the evolving nature of international development aid and the international rule-based system, Ojukwu expressed confidence that with member support, these challenges would be overcome and the network would continue to grow.
Representatives from NHRIs across 12 West African countries, along with the ECOWAS Commission, OHCHR-WARO, and UNOWAS, participated in the event. They addressed a broad range of issues through experience sharing, best practices exchange, and strengthened regional cooperation. A communiqu© is expected at the end of the event to guide actions for the next two years.