Human Rights Must Be Respected Throughout The World

[Olajire Deborah]

Human Rights Must Be Respected Throughout The World

I want to reiterate again that respect for human rights is a worldwide issue. There have been various campaigns that human rights must be respected by all nations throughout the world.

The first universal effort at recognizing human rights was undertaken by the UN. On 10th December 1948, the UN General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). I have reproduced the full text of this Declaration below for you to go through and compare with the human rights provisions under Nigerian Constitution as explained above.

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Please note that human right is not a western ideology. It is also not a religious issue. It applies to all human beings no matter where you come from, and irrespective of your religion, sex, age, colour, or tribe. All nations of the world except about eight have signed unto the UDHR.
Initially, the UDHR was a non-binding declaration when it was passed in 1948 and did not get codified. The declarations only became legal rights over some years. And after the UDHR, many other laws on human rights were passed internationally.
One of these is what is called Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (CCPR), which dealt with the civil and political rights of citizens all over the world. All the nations of the world have signed this covenant with a few exceptions. Therefore, citizens of the world are entitled to enforce those rights as provided under the CCPR.

Following UDHR, many other regions and countries have also come up with specific provisions relating to respect for human rights in their territories. For instance, Afircan countries came together and adopted what is today known as African (Banjul) Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights. Like I mentioned earlier, the Charter was adopted in Banjul (The Gambia) on the 27th of June 1981 and entered into force on 21st October 1986. The provisons of this Charter essentially reflects that of the UDHR and the Nigerian Constitution. Our country is already a signatory to the African Charter. For your better understanding of this Charter, I have reproduced the full text in section (c) below.

It may interest you to note further that the African Charter has become part of Nigerian laws locally by virtue of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act, Chapter 10 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 1990. What this simply implies is that you as a Nigerian citizen are entitled to enforce your rights both under the Nigerian Constitution and the African Charter.

In addition to the above, we also have the International Convention on Civil and Political Rights, the European Convention of Fundamental Rights and Procedure, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, and a host of others. All these are specific international covenants and laws which deal with recognition and respect of various aspects of human rights.

I have come this far so you may be awakened to the fact that observance of human rights is a global issue.

And that all nations of the world have agreed that human rights must be respected, and enforced. It is only left for you to be educated on your human rights as we have explained above and stand your ground that no one can deprive you of your rights.

I want you to note that each of the conventions or charters that I have mentioned makes provision for the enforcement of your rights, or how to get remedies where your rights have been infringed upon. So, please contact your lawyer who is in the best position to advise you on the best enforcement procedure to adopt.

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