The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has organized a two-day capacity-building workshop for its staff and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), aimed at strengthening their skills in documenting and reporting human rights violations.
The training, which took place in Abuja, was held with support from the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.
Dr. Benedict Agu, Head of Monitoring at the NHRC in Abuja, explained that the initiative was designed to enhance the ability of participants to gather and present reliable data on human rights abuses. He noted that accurate reporting is crucial to the commission’s mandate, particularly in the compilation of its annual State of Human Rights report in Nigeria.
“This workshop is intended to guide participants on best practices in human rights documentation and reporting, following globally accepted standards,” Agu stated.
He emphasized the global accessibility of the Commission’s reports, which are available both online and in printed form, and are distributed to a wide audience, including the President, the National Assembly, civil society groups, and international bodies.
Agu noted that the training was also necessary to equip staff and partners with skills to collect verifiable data from primary and secondary sources. These include eyewitness accounts, victim testimonies, government publications, newspaper articles, and medical records.
“Civil society organisations are critical partners in this process. The NHRC has offices across all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, with human rights monitors who work nationwide to gather essential data,” he added.
The training aimed to ensure that participants produce well-structured, factual, and evidence-based reports. According to Agu, such documentation must adhere to legal standards and be clear, concise, and consistent with the Commission’s established templates.
He also highlighted the NHRC’s legal obligation under Section 5(e) of the NHRC Amendment Act (2010), which mandates the commission to publish periodic reports on the status of human rights protection in Nigeria.
Agu urged participants to apply effective techniques in drafting their reports to ensure their findings are accessible, impactful, and understood by both national and international audiences.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the training sessions were scheduled for Friday, August 15, and Monday, August 18.