The Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) has called for government’s action to protect Nigerians against human right abuses from companies operating in different parts of the country.
The Executive Director, CISLAC, Auwal Musa Rafsanjani during the ‘High Level Forum On Sustainable Business and Human Rights Principles’ in Abuja, explained that in a society like Nigeria where you have several businesses both local and international operating in different parts of the country, protection against human rights abuses within the Nigerian territory by businesses is very important.In his words “It is expedient for the government to take appropriate steps to prevent, investigate, punish and redress such abuses through effective policies, legislation, regulations and adjudication.“Relevant stakeholders have continued to demand appropriate actions and accountability from the government who is signatory to international Charters such as the United Nations Guiding Principle on Business and Human Rights (UNGP) that seeks to promote implementation of Protection, Respect and Remedy for human rights abuses/ violations by transactional corporations and business enterprises.
“Undoubtedly, there has been advocacy, and ongoing efforts by the multi-stakeholder National Roundtable on Business and Human Rights as well as other relevant stakeholders, to ensure that Nigeria adopts a National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights, and more importantly, implement the NAP as a means to fulfill its duty under the national constitution and international obligations to promote and protect human rights.“There is also a need, citizens across the length and breadth of the country especially, within host communities such as mining communities as well as oil producing communities who seem to be affected the most to rise up to against and demand that government protects their rights and deal decisively on issues of human rights violations arising from activities of businesses operating within Nigeria.”The CISLAC boss also explained the essence of the project, “This project aims at stimulation and promotion of human rights agenda in Nigeria’s business sector through the collaborative platform of the standing National Roundtable on Business and Human Rights (NBH2R) and the promotion of a National Action Plan for Business and Human Rights (NAP) for Nigeria as a fundamental element in government agenda and business strategies.
”He also expressed hope of implementation of the document, “It is our hope and desire, that National Human Rights Commission who has also been part of this process receives this draft document and incorporates it into the already existing National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights (NAP) because its content/ provisions aim to compliment and further enrich the NAP.”Also speaking was the Country Director, Global Rights, Abiodun Baiyewu, who was represented by the Programme Officer, Global Rights, Foluso Ibigbami, commended CISLAC on delivering accurately on the document.
