Urges Lawmakers to be a guardian of democratic governance.
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has called on Nigeria’s legislative institutions to institutionalise Human Rights Impact Assessment (HRIA) as part of the lawmaking process, warning that legislation passed without adequate scrutiny, consultation and human rights analysis could undermine fundamental freedoms and weaken public confidence in democratic institutions.
The Executive Secretary of the Commission, Tony Ojukwu, SAN, made the call on Wednesday during a one-day training for legislators on mainstreaming human rights and HRIA into the legislative process and legislation in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
Ojukwu said the training, organised by the NHRC, was designed to strengthen collaboration between the Commission and legislative institutions while equipping lawmakers with practical tools to ensure that proposed laws comply with constitutional, regional and international human rights standards.
He described the legislature as a guardian of democratic governance, stressing that the strength of a democracy should not be measured solely by the number of laws enacted but also by their quality, inclusiveness and compliance with human rights principles.
“The legislature is the guardian of democratic governance. The quality of any democracy is reflected not only in the number of laws it produces, but in the quality, inclusiveness and human rights compliance of those laws,” Ojukwu said.
According to him, every piece of legislation has the potential either to expand rights and opportunities or unintentionally restrict them. He noted that laws directly influence citizens’ access to justice, education, healthcare, housing, security, livelihoods and civic participation.
The NHRC executive secretary urged lawmakers to subject every Bill to rigorous scrutiny and ensure that public hearings serve as genuine platforms for citizens, experts, professional bodies, civil society organisations and affected communities to make meaningful contributions to proposed legislation.
“Robust committee scrutiny, evidence-based deliberation and meaningful public consultation are indispensable safeguards against unintended legislative consequences,” he said.
Ojukwu explained that HRIA would allow lawmakers to identify potential human rights risks before a Bill becomes law, particularly risks affecting women, children, persons with disabilities, older persons, internally displaced persons and other vulnerable groups.
He stressed that HRIA should not be viewed as an additional bureaucratic requirement but as a practical decision-making tool capable of improving the quality, legitimacy and sustainability of legislation.
“By mainstreaming human rights into the legislative process, we are not merely improving the quality of legislation; we are strengthening democracy, advancing social justice, fostering inclusive development, and reinforcing public confidence in our institutions,” Ojukwu said.
In his concluding remarks, Ojukwu challenged lawmakers to move beyond merely making laws to enacting legislation that is “just, inclusive, evidence-based and rights-compliant.”
He said the ultimate test of any legislation should be its impact on citizens, asking whether a proposed law would improve or diminish people’s rights and dignity, who would be affected by it, and whether it would enhance human rights for all or serve the interests of only a few.
He also urged lawmakers to embrace the principle of “Leave No One Behind,” stressing that rights-based lawmaking was essential to strengthening democracy, advancing social justice and restoring public trust in Nigeria’s institutions.
Also speaking at the training, Okwa Morpy, who presented a paper titled “Human Rights Impact Assessment: Definition, Purpose and Scope,” said HRIA was essential to protecting rights holders, particularly vulnerable groups.
Morpy said the process could help prevent the enactment of laws that conflict with the Nigerian Constitution and international human rights law.
“It prevents unconstitutional law, laws that may derogate from the provisions of the Constitution and other international human rights law,” she said.
She added that rights-based legislation could improve public confidence in government and promote good governance.
“It improves public trust and promotes good governance,” Morpy said.
Morpy also examined the role of parliament in advancing human rights through legislation, oversight, representation and budget approval.
She called for stronger collaboration among lawmakers, civil society organisations and non-governmental organisations to reduce human rights violations and improve living standards.
“If we look at ourselves, lawmakers, CSOs, NGOs as a synergy, we will reduce human rights violations, improve the standard of lives in the society and enhance democratic law,” she said.
She commended the Rivers State House of Assembly for participating in the training, describing legislators as key stakeholders in efforts to institutionalise HRIA and promote human rights through legislation.
“You are the main stakeholders in this training, because at the end of the day you can now define your order,” she said, urging lawmakers to institutionalise HRIA and use legislation as a tool for protecting and promoting human rights.
Participants, including legislators from the Rivers State House of Assembly, civil society organisations, non-governmental organisations and other stakeholders, expressed appreciation to the NHRC for the knowledge gained and pledged to apply the lessons to their legislative responsibilities.
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