By Asmau Ahmad
Three United Nations agencies, the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has promised to join forces to raise awareness against human rights violations.
The organisations made the promise in a joint statement by Oluwafemi Iselowo, Junior Communications Assistant, Programme Support Unit of IOM.
The promise is coming against the backdrop of an awareness walk and joint celebration of the 2023 “International Day for the Right to the Truth.”
According to Iselowo, the day which is celebrated annually on March 24, focuses on gross violation of human rights and the dignity of victims.
Common violations of human rights refer to abductions, arbitrary arrests, detentions without trial, political executions, assassinations, and torture, while violation of the dignity of victims refers to acts that humiliate or diminish the self-worth of a person or a group.
“This annual observance pays tribute to the memory of Monsignor Óscar Arnulfo Romero, who was murdered on March 24, 1980.
“He was known for actively engaging in denouncing violations of the human rights of the most vulnerable individuals in El Salvador. Nigeria in the past decade, has seen more than 15 million people being adversely affected by the insurgency in the Northeast.
“Incessant attacks by terrorist groups against mosques, churches, markets, and Internally Displaced Persons’ camps, have seen civilians being slaughtered and abducted, with women and girls being forcibly married off to their fighters.
“Civilians continue to bear the brunt of the conflict which has triggered forced displacement as well as violation of their human rights.”
The official explained that the event objective of this year’s international day for the Right of the Truth would be to honour the memory of victims of gross and systematic human rights violations.
Also, the event would pay tribute to those who had devoted and lost their lives in the struggle to promote and protect human rights in the North-East; and established a truth and reconciliation committee for sustainable peace.
“It is in this regard, as the event is designed to use the Day for the Right to the truth.
“To assist the affected population to know full and complete truth as to the events that transpired their specific circumstances, engender reconciliation, and reintegration of the communities for sustainable peace in the North-East.”
