The forum saw the attendance of 37 participants, including 24 women, from various organizations: the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS), the Nigerian Police Force, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), and the Federal Ministry of Justice, CSOs such as the Network Against Child Trafficking Abuse and Labor (NACTAL). Members of the Platform for Cooperation on Mixed Migration (PCMM) were also present, along with representatives from UN agencies including United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the United Nations Information Center (UNIC).

“We must seize the moment of this forum to understand and acquaint ourselves with these global processes and build national consensus and partnerships that will accelerate the implementation of these recommendations”, said the Executive-Secretary of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Chief Tony Ojukwu, during his opening remarks.

The Executive Secretary of NHRC highlighted that the 346 recommendations from the UPR’s 45th session address a broad spectrum of human rights and social issues. These recommendations inter alia, call for the ratification of international protocols to abolish the death penalty, the promotion of gender equality, combatting human trafficking, strengthening the justice system, and improving access to safe and quality education and healthcare. They also tackle specific challenges such as corruption, terrorism, press freedom, and poverty reduction. The Executive Secretary emphasized that the NHRC would “serve as a catalyst for change, facilitating dialogue, monitoring progress, and holding accountable those responsible for human rights violations and ensure that the voices of the marginalized are heard and respected”.

Ms. Esther Michael Sawa, National Coordinator of the PROMIS Project, emphasized the workshop’s significance. “[It] is an opportunity to reinforce the core human rights principles of dignity, equality, and non-discrimination and to ensure all collective efforts contribute to the promotion and protection of everyone’s rights”, she stated.

Discussions with national actors at the workshop focused on implementing CMW’s 36th session and the UPR’s 45th session recommendations presented to Nigeria. Participants raised awareness about the International Convention on Migrant Workers as well as the recommendations and concluding observations issued by both human rights mechanisms. The discussions provided feedback on the implications of these recommendations and explored their different cross-cutting dimensions.

By the end of the workshop, attendees developed a joint action plan to guide future efforts and ensure effective implementation of the said CMW’s concluding observations and UPR’s outcome report. With active monitoring from OHCHR and relevant partners, the workshop marks a renewed sense of commitment to safeguarding human rights in Nigeria.

The PROMIS project is a joint initiative between OHCHR and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) that aims to strengthen the capacities of West African states to develop a human rights-based response to Trafficking in Persons, Smuggling of Migrants, and related crimes, and to effectively respond to human rights violations related to irregular migration.