NHRC elected into highest body of world Human Rights body

By Albert Akota

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has been elected a member of the Governing Board of the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI) based in Geneva Switzerland to represent the African region at the Board.
The elections took place at the 14th Biennial Conference of the Network of African National Human Rights Institutions (NANHRI) which held in Accra Ghana.
A statement by the Director Corporate Affairs and External Linkages of the commission, Agharese Arase said, the GANHRI Bureau is the highest organ for the coordination of National Human Rights Institutions worldwide.
The NHRC has also been elected to the GANHRI working groups on Ageing and Business and Human Rights (BHR).
“These are in recognition of the giant strides recorded by Nigeria in the areas of protection of the rights of older persons and mainstreaming human rights in businesses.”
It will be recalled that Nigeria has established the senior citizens center to enhance improvement of the lives of older people.
Again, the Federal Executive Council recently approved the National Action Plan on Human Rights and Business which makes Nigeria one of the three countries that have developed such plan in Africa.
Reacting to these developments, Executive Secretary of the Commission, Dr. Tony Ojukwu said Nigeria’s election to these prestigious positions reflects the country’s positive standing on the international human rights stage and underscores its commitment to the protection and promotion of human rights, both at home and abroad.