National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and National Agency for the Control of Aids (NACA) have signed a Memorandum of Partnership (MOP) that will enable the two organisations to pull their unique mandates and resources together to fight HIV/AIDS.
The executive secretary of the commission, Tony Ojukwu Esq. who stated this in Abuja recently when he signed the MOP on behalf of the commission said UNAIDS and national partners like NACA have played crucial roles in placing on the global agendas issues such as stigmatisation, discrimination, inhuman and degrading treatment of persons living with HIV/AIDS.
He stated that, “UNAIDS and NACA have helped in no small measures towards uplifting the living conditions of persons living with HIV/AIDS.”
In his remarks, the director general of NACA, Dr. Gambo Aliyu, said working with the NHRC will assist his organisation achieve its mandate in a more seamless manner adding that addressing the human rights issues of PLWHIV has a nexus with their health condition.
He promised to continue to collaborate with the commission, pointing out that NHRC and NACA have a lot of things in common even as he observed that the right to healthy living is a fundamental right that should be protected at all times.
In his contribution, the representative of the UNDP, Mohammed Yahaya, said it is high time African men came to the realisation that men do not face the same challenges that women and girls face, emphasising that on account of the above, the female gender ought to be given adequate protection.
