NEWS COMMENTARY
For Broadcast on Thursday December 10, 2009
PROMOTING GLOBAL HUMAN RIGHTS AND DISCRIMINATION-FREE SOCIETIES
By Latifat Afegbua
The global community is today, December 10 celebrating the World
Human Rights Day. Every year, on this day, countries around the
world commemorate the 1948 adoption by the United Nations
General Assembly of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
The focus for this year’s Human Rights Day celebration is
non-discrimination. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights,
Navi Pillay explained that the theme was chosen this year
because discrimination spreads mistrust and humiliation for
victims and leads to violence, conflict and discord generally.
The main objective therefore, is to help promote
discrimination-free societies and a world of equal treatment for
all.
Many around the world consistently have their rights violated by
governments and their agencies.
The rights to adequate standard of living, education, housing,
health and fair hearing are some of the rights constantly
violated by most governments.
The National Human Rights Commission of Nigeria was established
in 1995 in line with the resolution of the General Assembly of
the United Nations which enjoins all member States to establish
Human Rights Institutions for the promotion and protection of
human rights. The Commission serves as a mechanism for the
enhancement of the enjoyment of human rights. Its establishment
is aimed at creating an enabling environment for extra-judicial
recognition, promotion and protection and enforcement of human
rights, treaty obligations and providing a forum for public
enlightenment and dialogue
