Solomon Odeniyi
The National Human Rights Commission has described poverty, inequalities, conflict, and human insecurity as the major triggers of irregular migration, trafficking, and smuggling of migrants.
The commission said it observed that human rights were at the heart of migration and must be respected in compliance with international best practices.
The Executive Secretary of the Commission, Tony Ojukwu, stated this on Tuesday, in Abuja during the training of NHRC staff on human rights and migration.
Also, in a statement on Tuesday, the Director, Corporate Affairs and External Linkages Department, Agharese Ojukwu, said, there is need to adopt a human rights-based approach in dealing with issues of migration since it extends to other core human rights.
“The Human Rights Advocate regretted that in our world today, migrants face dehumanizing conditions, illegal arrests and prolonged detention, torture, inhumane and degrading treatment, life-threatening conditions on land and sea and that such occurrences should be the concern of stakeholders.
“The NHRC Boss called on stakeholders including law enforcement agencies pay more attention to irregular migration and smuggling across our borders, adding that “it is important that we do not lose sight of trafficking within Nigeria”, considering its socio-economic and human rights implications.
“He promised that the Commission will continue to work with partners within and outside government to strengthen policies and practices that impact on the human rights of migrants and victims of trafficking and smuggling of migrants, ” the statement read.
The Senior Human Rights Adviser, Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Adwoa Owusu, said migration issues affect countless individuals and communities.
She added that migration can transform societies positively but if not managed properly, the challenges of migration can lead to heinous human rights violations.
According to Owusu, the training is to reaffirm commitments to core human rights principles of dignity, equality, and non-discrimination for everyone, everywhere regardless of migration status.
