The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has tasked its staff to ensure that its communication reflects its status as an internationally accredited A-Status institution.
This was the thrust of a two-day training on Human Rights Reporting and Advocacy held on 22nd - 23rd September 2026 at theBUNKers, Wuse 2, Abuja, for staff of the Corporate Affairs and External Linkages Department.
The training focused on graphic design with Canva, content creation, social media management, news writing and storytelling from a human rights perspective.
Declaring the training open, the Executive Secretary, Chief Tony Ojukwu, OFR, SAN, represented by the Director, Civil and Political Rights, Mr. Halilu Adamu, said protection of human rights goes beyond investigations and interventions.
He said in today's digital environment, how a human rights story is told determines whether it receives attention, whether a victim's experience is understood, and whether citizens know their rights and responsibilities.
According to him, the Commission must transform complex human rights issues into compelling and accessible visual content, especially for young and digital audiences, using social media to educate, highlight interventions, counter misinformation and engage citizens.
He charged staff to entrench a communication culture anchored on accuracy, professionalism, ethics, empathy, dignity and strategic advocacy.
In her remarks, the Director, Corporate Affairs and External Linkages, Hajiya Fatimah Agwai Mohammed, said the training was convened to align the Commission's operations with global best practice in line with its A-Status accreditation by the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI).
She said A-Status is not just an award but a recognition of compliance with the Paris Principles and a call to higher responsibility.
"The ES does not want a media department that merely covers events. He wants a department that defends human rights through communication," she said, noting that every press release and post reflects the Commission's independence, impartiality and credibility.
She added that an A-Status NHRI must speak with authority, not propaganda, and must be factual, timely and rights-based - offering hope to the vulnerable and guidance to duty bearers.
She stressed the need for a professional, secure and proactive media team that monitors, verifies, responds and educates round the clock, warning that silence is dangerous in the digital age.
At the end of the training, participants pledged to deploy the knowledge gained to improve content quality, strengthen advocacy, enhance public engagement and advance human rights protection in Nigeria in line with global best practice.
