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.
Executive Secretary National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) Tony Ojukwu Esq disclosed this at the end of electronic voting for nominees recently in Abuja.
“It took place after a thorough review by the Local Organizing Committee (LOC) with a total number of 10,752 votes casted recently at the headquarters of the Commission”, he said
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.”
He said the Criteria for the Human Rights Award was presented in six categories namely: Civil Society Organization; with CLEEN Foundation emerging the winner, Donor Agencies and Diplomatic Communities in Nigeria with United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) as the winner, Multinational/International and Philanthropic organizations, has Toni Elumelu Foundation as the winner. State Government; Kano, Lagos and Ebonyi states came top on the list.
Others include, Federal and State Ministries Departments and Agencies, (MDAs) has the Institute of Peace and Conflict Resolution also making it to the top of the list, and finally Individual category, with Prof Joy Ezeilo of the University of Nigeria Enugu campus as the winner.
Ojokwu stated that the Human Rights Award is one of the activities lined up for the 2019 Human Rights 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 GCFR, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
He noted that it is first of its kind organized by the NHRC in the fulfillment of Nigeria’s obligation to institutionalize a national consultative forum to promote dialogue in the field of human rights.
According to him, that 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.
“On behalf of the NHRC and LOC, I thank everyone who participated in the voting process and with your support, we hope to do better inthe coming years,” Ojukwu said.
