Jos – The National Human Rights Commission has unveiled a five-year National Action Plan aimed at strengthening the promotion and protection of human rights across the country.

The initiative, developed in collaboration with VIVA Atlantic Limited, was presented during a consultative meeting in Jos organised by the Plateau State office of NHRC to improve coordination and implementation of human rights policies nationwide.

Speaking at the event, the Plateau State Coordinator of the NHRC, Kiyenpia Mafuyai, said the action plan became necessary after the Commission identified major gaps and emerging human rights challenges in the country.

She explained that the framework, which covers the 2024–2028 period, was developed after nearly a decade of consultations with Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), civil society organisations, and international development partners.

According to Mafuyai, the plan addresses civil and political rights, including the rights to life, freedom of expression and freedom of movement, as well as economic, social and collective rights such as access to health and education.

She added that special attention was given to vulnerable groups, including women, children, internally displaced persons and persons with disabilities.

“The plan is an actionable document that addresses human rights issues across the country and seeks to strengthen the promotion and protection of citizens’ rights,” she said.

The Head of Civil Service in Plateau State, Sam Gadong, represented by Samuel Davou, said the successful implementation of the action plan would help reposition civil servants to better understand and uphold human rights standards in governance.

The Chief Investigation Officer of the NHRC, Taddy Chollom, stressed the importance of collaboration between government institutions and civil society organisations in ensuring accountability and protecting citizens’ rights.

He described CSOs as “the voice of the voiceless” and noted that the engagement was designed to strengthen compliance with human rights standards in government policies and legislation.

Some participants at the meeting like Jacob Pwakim a human rights advocate commended the initiative, saying effective implementation of the action plan would help reduce cases of human rights violations in the country.

Pwakim, from the Youth Initiative Against Violence and Human Rights Abuse, called for strong accountability mechanisms, adequate funding and a clear implementation framework to ensure the plan succeeds where previous action plans failed.

Other participants including John Shailong, Nalong Gumut, and Juliana Isaac expressed confidence that the framework would improve the promotion and protection of human rights if properly implemented.

They also highlighted the role of the media in sensitising citizens on their rights, noting that public awareness would be critical to the success of the initiative.

The NHRC reiterated its commitment to monitoring and overseeing the implementation of the action plan, expressing confidence that stronger coordination, adequate resources and sustained stakeholder engagement would significantly improve human rights protection in Nigeria.