Winners emerge at Human Rights maiden award

Winners of the 2019 Human Rights Award have emerged after a national poll by Nigerians on the official website of the 2019. Human Rights Summit, the Executive Secretary of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Tony Ojukwu has said.

Ojukwu disclosed this at the end of electronic voting for nominees, and after the Local Organizing Committee (LOC) thoroughly reviewed the total number of 10,752 votes cast on Wednesday evening at the headquarters of the Commission.

Ojukwu who hinted that the LOC was made up of stakeholders, including representatives from relevant Ministries Departments and Agencies (MDAs) said the award, which will be an annual event is aimed at encouraging humanitarian activities in the area of promoting the rights of Nigerians especially the indigent members of the society.

According to the NHRC boss, Tony Elumelu Foundation won as the Multinational/International and Philanthropic organizations, CLEEN Foundation emerged as the winner of the Civil Society Organization with the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) winning the Donor Agencies and Diplomatic Communities in Nigeria.

A statement by the Commission said Kano, Lagos and Ebonyi States came top on the list in the category of state governments, while that of the Federal and State Ministries Departments and Agencies, (MDAs) was won by the Institute of Peace and Conflict Resolution.

For Individual category, Prof Joy Ezeilo of the University of Nigeria Enugu campus won.

The statement said the criteria for the Human Rights Award include the impact of the nominee’s work or contribution in improving the understanding and respect for human rights, their contribution in eliminating social injustice, discriminatory attitudes and practices and the impact of the nominee’s work in promoting, protecting and defending, monitoring and reporting human rights abuse/violations.

Other criteria include the impact of nominee’s work in creating an enabling environment conducive to the enjoyment of human rights and sustainable development, the amount of energy, industry, time and resources spent by the nominee in the promotion and protection of human rights in the country.

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“The risk of negative consequences faced by the nominee in the cause of his or her work, the extent to which the approach employed in the work of the nominee is responsive to the needs and rights of the people; and The impact of the nominee’s work in addressing human rights violations in the society”.

The Boss further stated that the Human Rights Award is one of the activities lined up for the 2019 Summit scheduled to take place from the 8th to 10th of December 2019.

The summit, he said will be declared open by President Muhammadu Buhari, adding  that the summit is frst of its kind to be organized by the NHRC in the fulfllment of Nigeria’s obligation to institutionalize a national consultative forum to promote dialogue in the field of human rights.

According to him, the summit is also expected to provide an opportunity for the review of Nigeria’s performance with reference to the protection and promotion of human rights by relevant stakeholders.

It will serve as an imperative strategy for policy appraisal and agenda setting in the area of human rights.