Our Rights, Our Freedoms, Always
For Immediate Release
10th December 2015
This year International Human Rights themed “Our Rights Our Freedoms, Always”, is devoted to the launch of a year-long campaign for the 50th anniversary of the two International Covenants on Human Rights; the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. The Covenants were adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on 16 December 1966, with Nigeria as a signatory to these international conventions.
This year, at the national level the need to focus on rights and the freedoms of Nigerians should be paramount based on this year’s theme. The promulgation of the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act, 2015 proves that regardless of sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion or cultural believes any form of violence is unacceptable.
This year in commemorating the International Human Rights Day, The Initiative for Equal Rights (TIERs) will be hosting a symposium on the 17th December 2015, which will focus on Human Rights, Sexuality and the Law. The event will have highly informed panelists who will be discussing Violence against minorities persons in Nigeria: Challenges of the VAPP Act
The symposium will look at the human rights situation in Nigeria as it relates to sexual minorities persons and also discuss the excerpts of the 2015 human rights violations reports based on sexual orientation and gender identity. The symposium is open to those interested to participate, by registering via: Human Rights, Sexuality and The Law
The event will also be used to launch the LGBT Human Rights Violations Report for 2015 in Nigeria. Through this symposium, it is expected that a renewed and informed level of discussions will continue regarding the LGBT human rights in Nigeria.
TIERs as an organization will continue to advance discussions on the rights of LGBT persons using through community dialogue and discussions with stakeholders on the need to protect human rights of LGBT persons as guaranteed in the Nigerian constitution, regional and international human rights instruments.
For more information contact: info@initiative4equality.org or call: 08146337128 or 07011472241