Senate approves Human Rights Fund to tackle sexual, gender-based violence

Senate on Tuesday passed a bill aimed at repositioning the National Human Rights Commission to tackle sexual and gender-based violence among other human rights violations by establishing the National Human Rights Fund in Nigeria’s annual budget.

The bill tagged: “The National Human Rights Commission Act (Repeal and Enactment) Bill, 2021 (SB.587)”, seeks to repeal and enact the National Human Rights Commission Act 2010 (as amended).

It was read for the first time on December 2, 2020.

Senate passed the bill after the consideration of a report by the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters.

Speaking while presenting the report, Chairman of the Committee, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele said the bill seeks to “reposition and streamline the institutional framework of the Commission by strengthening its capacity to conduct investigations on human rights issues, as well as expand on the scope of the Commission’s operation, generally. 

Senator Bamidele said, “The bill also makes specific provisions to provide for the National Human Rights Fund in the National Budget as well as provide effective means of sustaining contribution to the Fund, whereby non-governmental organisations and multi-national corporations will make remittances to the account, accordingly”.

He explained that the establishment of the human rights fund is in line with international practices, as it relates to human rights institutions globally.