CAFSO-WRAG for Development, a humanitarian group, has called for more open and participatory governance in Nigeria.<\/p>\n
Dr Tola Winjobi, Principal Coordinator of the group, made the call in a statement on Sunday in Lagos in commemoration of the 2021 International Human Rights Day.<\/p>\n
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Human Rights Day is observed every year on December 10 and the 2021 theme is \u201cEquality \u2013 Reducing inequalities, advancing human rights.<\/p>\n
Winjobi said that several groups and associations had been engaging government on the need to make governance more participatory, open and accountable.<\/p>\n
He urged government to be more responsive, engage Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in governance and open civil space at all levels of governance to achieve the core Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).<\/p>\n
He said that concrete steps were needed to reverse the trends of shrinking and closing civic spaces so as to protect civil society and democratic accountability.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe must hold effective, inclusive and transparent consultations with CSOs regarding national development priorities and guarantee meaningful inclusive CSO participation in decision-making and creation of public policies”<\/p>\n
\u201cAll must be in tandem with the UN Agenda 2030 mantra of \u201cLeave no one behind\u201d; and implement public policies to promote and strengthen CSOs\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Winjobi stressed the need to uphold the rule of law, shun impunity, respect human rights, and uphold all fundamental rights and freedoms.<\/p>\n
He also urged the government to do more in stemming the spate of insecurity and poverty in the country.<\/p>\n
“The maginalised and vulnerable are so pauperised to the extent that they could not discern their rights let alone to stand for them”<\/p>\n
\u201cThus they are being left behind in development against the mantra of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”<\/p>\n
\u201cReal and transformative progress in achieving core SDGs will not be possible without a fully engaged civil society and population.\u201d he said<\/p>\n
He said that the main objective of the group was to fight against poverty, hunger and preventable diseases as well as to campaign for the fulfilment of socio-economic and human rights for a sustainable human and ecological development.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
CAFSO-WRAG for Development, a humanitarian group, has called for more open and participatory governance in Nigeria. Dr Tola Winjobi, Principal Coordinator of the group, made the call in a statement on Sunday in Lagos in commemoration of the 2021 International Human Rights Day. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Human Rights Day is […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":32,"featured_media":3871,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jnews-multi-image_gallery":[],"jnews_single_post":[],"jnews_primary_category":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3800","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-metro"],"yoast_head":"\n