Reports

UN Human Rights As Seen By Nigerian Youths

A core part of our ELP training is the weekly three-hour guided study of literatures critical to development and other trainings necessary for young people to achieve sterling success, help fast-track development and end poverty in Africa.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights was proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly in Paris on December 10, 1948, as a product of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). The declaration sets out fundamental human rights to be universally protected and has been translated into over 500 languages.

According to an official document of the declaration, UDHR is premised on the fact that recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and the peace in the world.

Thus, from March 16 to July 20, 2018, Emerging Nigerian Leaders, comprising of select Nigerian youths, ages 16-25, being prepared by CSAAE for leadership positions critical to development and nation building, gathered for three hours every Friday to reflect on the status of the UN Human Rights in Nigeria.

The future leaders focused on:
• How the articles of the UN Human Rights are understood in Nigeria
• Whom each UN Human Rights Article applies to
• The extent to which each UN Human Right Article is respected/violated in Nigeria

• What can be done to ensure respect for UN Human Rights in Nigeria?

This report is a compilation of key findings and recommendations from the 5-month discussion. It is our strong belief that these recommendations when implemented will help facilitate development, justice, and peace, and make Nigeria a better place.

Rev. Fr. Dr. Godswill Agbagwa

Founder and President, CSAAE.

Achieving the SDGs in Nigeria: Insights from Nigerian Youths

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) also known as the Global Goals are a collection of 17 goals and the universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity. The SDGs, a succession of Millennium Development Goals (MDG) took effect from January 2016 after its adoption by the UN General Assembly during the UN Sustainable Summit in September 2015 at New York City, the USA.

These goals are to guide the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) policy and funding until 2030. The Nigeria government like its counterparts across the globe initiated steps towards achieving these goals. These include the establishment of the office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on SDGs with the responsibility to develop action plans for attainment of SDG, coordinate projects on SDGs, as well as facilitate collaborative partnership with International and indigenous stakeholders.

To help Nigerian youths gain more understanding of all SDGs in the Nigerian context, Emerging Political Leaders (ELPs) under the Emerging African Leaders Program (ELP) of the Centre for Social Awareness, Advocacy and Ethics, Inc. (CSAAE) intensively embarked on an intensive study of all the 17 SDGs from August to October 2018 under the guidance of CSAAE’s Founder, Rev. Fr. Dr Godswill Agbagwa.

The Nigerian Constitution Through the Lens of Nigerian Youths: Matters Arising

A society without laws would exist in a state of nature where life would be nasty, brutal and short. A lawless society would exist in imbalance. A society whose people have no knowledge of their laws would exist in a state of ignorance and oppression.

It goes without saying that knowledge is power and if, at all, we are going to effect any positive change in our laws, it is sacrosanct that we have a first-hand knowledge of it. Drawing strength from the preamble of the Nigerian constitution, it is our strong belief that the business of law is not only one for lawyers but for every Nigerian as the phrase “We the People” was implored.

It is to this end that Emerging Political Leaders (EPLs) of the Centre for Social Awareness, Advocacy and Ethics, Inc. (CSAAE) embarked on an intensive study of the Nigerian Constitution, the Supreme Law of the country from December 2017 to February 2018 under the guidance of CSAAE’s Founder, Rev. Fr. Dr. Godswill Agbagwa and his team of mentors.