AMNESTY International Nigeria, has organised a youth colloquy on peaceful assembly and intervarsity debate to empower students to be champions of human rights in Nigeria.
The Country Director, Amnesty International Nigeria, Mr Isa Sanusi, said this at the Youth Colloquy on Peaceful Assembly and Intervarsity Debate Grand Finale on Thursday in Abuja.
Isa said that the event was aimed at empowering young voices and fostering meaningful dialogue on the fundamental right to peaceful assembly.
“The event marks the second edition of the Intervarsity Debate, following the successful maiden edition held in April and May 2023 in Lagos,” he said.
He added that the 2024 grand finale was the culmination of an online debate series that began in April, bringing together students from 12 universities in Nigeria to discuss pressing issues affecting them.
“This programme is an initiative under one of our biggest agenda which is spreading human rights education and it is aimed at bringing young people into the human rights space.
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“The program also aims to create a culture of debate and encourage young people to have a good idea of human rights, so that they can grow up to help create a Nigeria in which human rights are respected.
“We are bringing in the debate so that they will go and inculcate the values of human rights in their daily school lives, in their relation with their fellow students, teachers and their future life,” he said.
Isa said the students were selected through some processes and different stages where some universities scaled through while some fell out.
“So, it is the winners we are brought here to the grand finale to mark the end.
“We will give award to schools for encouragement and commitment to building a new Nigeria. We believe that human rights are not an alien culture and it is part of our culture in Nigeria.
“We believe that if we concentrate on giving the younger people the human rights education, we will gain a society where the rights of everyone are protected and respected,” he said.
Isa said that youths were targeted to be champions of human rights because they were the leaders of the future.
He said that if they imbibe the culture of human rights, it would be easier to create a Nigeria where no one’s right would be violated and no abuses would go unpunished.
Ms Anne Chukwunwike, Activism and Growth Assistant, Amnesty International Nigeria, said the organisation brought students together from Nasarawa state, Abuja as well as students from different secondary schools within the FCT to lead the main conversation, the Intervarsity debate.
Chukwunwike said 12 universities were converged online to use the platform to talk about different issues that affect them.
“Youths have majority of the voice; therefore, the platform is an avenue for them to express themselves, give their opinions and talk about issues affecting them.
“Young persons must have a gathering where they can express themselves and they are more like the champions of tomorrow.
“The 12 Universities cut across the six geo-political zones in Nigeria. It is our way of reaching out to young persons and letting them spare head the conversations.
“We will be able to have young persons advocate and take up leadership positions from this gathering and they will become champions when they go back to their various schools,” she said. (NAN)
