UN/NHRC move to protect IDPs human rights in North East

The National Human Rights Commission in collaboration with United Nations High Commission for Refugees have moved to protect the human rights of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), in North East region.

Mrs Oti Ovrawah, the Acting Executive Secretary of the commission, made the disclosure at the end of three-day training for some monitors on Thursday in Yola.

The executive secretary said that the training was to work out ways of handling the human rights situation of IDPs.

According to her, the training is to build the capacity of monitors on how to tackle some challenges faced by the IDPs while in their respective camps and for returned communities in the region.

Ovrawah, represented by Mr Harry Obe, a Deputy Director in the Commission, said that among the cardinal objective of the training was to impact knowledge to the participants on how to protect the rights and ensure good living condition for the IDPs.

“The commission in collaboration with UNHRC initiated the IDPs protection monitoring project with the aim of monitoring and documentation of IDPs related issues.

“The training will also assist and guide government and other humanitarian actors with needed data for effective intervention and caring.

“I, therefore, urge the participants to judiciously use the knowledge acquired during the training to promote peace and improve the living conditions of the IDPs,’’ she said.

In his remarks, Mr Tijjani Muhammad, the representative of UNHRC observed that the training was very crucial in terms of sustaining peace in the North East.

Muhammad said that over 14 million people were directly and indirectly affected by the Boko Haram conflict in the country.

He urged the participants to take the training very serious for effective and successful implementation of monitoring and protection of IDP programme.

NAN reports that about 70 monitoring officers who participated in the training were drawn from Borno, Adamawa and Yobe. (NAN)