Human Rights Agenda Network

𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐦 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐝. 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐯𝐨𝐫 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭. 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐩𝐞𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐛𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐝 𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞.

24 June 2026

HRAN joined other civil society organisations in a productive engagement with the UN Assistant Secretary-General and Victims' Rights Advocate, Ms. Najla Nassif Palma, on advancing the rights of victims of sexual exploitation and abuse in Nigeria.

The discussion focused on ensuring that survivors have a voice, receive the support they need, and have access to justice. Participants also shared practical challenges affecting victims and explored ways to strengthen protection and accountability.

During the engagement, HRAN raised concerns about the growing use of social media by perpetrators, including cases where bosses exploit victims by retaining their photographs for abuse and coercion. Stronger mechanisms are needed to identify, investigate, and prosecute such violations.

Protecting victims is a shared responsibility. Together, we can build systems that put survivors first and uphold human dignity.

𝐖𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐲𝐨𝐮.

Every voice matters in the fight for human rights. Share your thoughts in the comments:

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐡𝐮𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐮𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐍𝐢𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐚?

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐬 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐞𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞'𝐬 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬?

𝐈𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐨𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐜𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐳𝐞𝐧𝐬, 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬, 𝐜𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐥 𝐬𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐭𝐲 𝐨𝐫𝐠𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐠𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤 𝐭𝐨𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐨 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐡𝐮𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬?

Your perspective can help inspire meaningful conversations and collective action. Let's build a society where everyone's rights are respected and protected.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐇𝐮𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐑𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 𝐀𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐚 𝐍𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤 (𝐇𝐑𝐀𝐍) wishes to inform the public, partners, and stakeholders of key developments following its recent Steering Committee meeting held on 29 April 2026.

As part of efforts to strengthen coordination, sustainability, and strategic growth, the following changes have been approved:

𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐚 𝐂𝐨-𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐧/𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐂𝐨𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫

𝐀𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐨𝐟:

– Mrs. Scholastica Okere as Co-Chairman

– Mr. Michael Adedotun Oke as Treasurer

These appointments take immediate effect in line with the resolutions of the Steering Committee.

The Committee also reaffirmed its commitment to:

• Strengthening partnerships with stakeholders and development partners

• Enhancing accountability and internal governance

• Expanding HRAN’s role in election observation and human rights advocacy

• Ensuring active membership participation through renewal of dues

HRAN remains a nationwide coalition committed to promoting human rights, accountability, and democratic governance in Nigeria.

We appreciate the continued support of our partners and members as we reposition for greater impact.

Aisha lost both her parents when she was 18 years old.

As their only child, she inherited the family house.

One day, she returned from school and found all her belongings thrown outside. The house was locked.

She was told her uncle was responsible.

When she confronted him, two policemen arrived and arrested her.

She spent four days in detention.
No lawyer. No call to family or friends.

When she was finally released, she said nothing.
She went into hiding in an uncompleted building, living in fear.

A worried friend, who had not heard from her, even reported her missing at the police station.

When the friend finally found Aisha, she quietly shared what had happened.

The friend was angry.

But they both faced the same problem:
They did not know where to turn or what to do next.

This is the reality for many Nigerians.

We have laws.
We have rights.
But too many people do not know how to use them.

That is why the 𝐆𝐮𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐇𝐮𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐑𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐏𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐜 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐋𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐠𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐍𝐢𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐚 𝐛𝐲 𝐏𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐋𝐞𝐠𝐚𝐥 𝐀𝐝𝐯𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐜𝐲 𝐂𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐞 (𝐏𝐋𝐀𝐂) exists.

𝐓𝐨 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐩 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐞:

• Understand their rights
• Know what steps to take
• Seek justice without fear or confusion

Our rights are not meant to stay in books.
They are meant to protect us.

At 𝐇𝐮𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐑𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 𝐀𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐚 𝐍𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤 (𝐇𝐑𝐀𝐍), we will break this Guide down in simple terms.

Follow this series.
It might help you or someone you know.