The NBA Lagos had a Summit on Monday in commemoration of the International Human Rights Day. The Summit which was put together by the Human Rights Committee had as its theme: “Respect for Human Rights – A Panacea For Peaceful Coexistence & Generational Equity”. The Committee Chairperson, Mrs Abiye Tam-George noted that this year’s summit was very intentional in trying to find out the root causes of human rights abuses encountered by lawyers and citizens and proffer solutions to such problems.
Read the Full Welcome Address Below;
WELCOME ADDRESS BY CHAIRLADY, HUMAN RIGHTS COMMITTEE
Ladies and Gentlemen,
On behalf of the Human Rights Committee of the NBA, Lagos Branch, I welcome you all to a unique Human Rights Summit in commemoration of the International Human Rights Day, celebrated on the 10th of December every year.
The Summit planning committee ably chaired by Mr. Olarenwaju Obadina, worked tirelessly to ensure that this summit is not another gathering of great personalities to make presentations but a purposeful and actionable solution-based summit.
This year’s summit is a product of an intentional fact finding and result oriented activities to first unravel the root causes of the wanton human rights abuses experienced by lawyers and citizens, and to formulate creative strategies that are solution based.
The summit also seeks to shine a light and change the narrative of rights violations in the country.
The summit planning committee identified critical interventions that will effectively address rights violations. These interventions are:
Engagement with stakeholders:
1. The AIG, Zone 2, OC Legal, Human Rights Desk Officers and lawyers in police formations – to engage with the Nigerian Police on the implementation of the laudable provisions of the Pan-African Parliament on Model Police Law for African and the formulation of lawyers and police engagement guidelines.
2. Traditional rulers (Baales’) and Youth Leaders – to formulate a community operational code of conduct to foster Respect for human rights.
These activities formed the series of events that culminated into the summit with the theme: Respect for Human Rights : A Panacea for Peaceful Coexistence and Generational Equity”.
Thankfully, the committee has assembled human rights activists with cumulative practical knowledge of over 80 years.
We are confident that after their individual presentations we will find the need to sustain the struggle for respect for human rights, and promotion of peaceful coexistence.
Permit me to seize this opportunity to make a clarion call to action for a collective demand to stop every form of human rights abuses. We can do it, so let us do it now.
Finally, the committee deeply appreciates the presence of our Keynote speaker, Quest speaker and other exceptional speakers, and to our dear royal majesties, our men and women in uniform , colleagues, invited quests, and our friends in the media.
We say welcome again.
Thank you.