Amnesty trains 30 youths to defend human rights in Cross River

Amnesty International Nigeria has equipped 30 young individuals in Cross River State with essential human rights defense skills. The intensive two-day training in Calabar focused on strengthening civic space protection and fostering grassroots human rights awareness.

The initiative, titled “Strengthening Human Rights Defenders to Protect Civic Space,” received support from the German Embassy Fund. Its primary goal is to cultivate a network of advocates skilled in documenting human rights violations, demanding accountability, and engaging with relevant institutions to address community abuses.

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We want people to become more conscious of their rights and understand how they can respond when violations occur. Human rights abuses happen in communities, villages and wards across the country, and we cannot address them effectively from state capitals alone.

Barbara Magaji, Programmes Manager for Amnesty International Nigeria, stated that the training equips young volunteers and social media influencers to identify, document, and respond to violations. She emphasized the importance of community-level action, noting that human rights abuses occur beyond state capitals. "We want people to become more conscious of their rights and understand how they can respond when violations occur," Magaji said.

The program is a pilot project in Cross River, Kano, and Bauchi states, following earlier virtual sessions. Participants will conduct advocacy campaigns on issues like freedom of expression and socio-economic rights. Amnesty International has a history of collaborating with volunteers in Cross River, including campaigns against mob violence and witchcraft-related killings, demonstrating confidence in the trainees' ability to deliver impactful results.

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One of the reports we released last year highlighted concerns about mob violence and witchcraft accusations in some communities. We have worked with volunteers here before and we are confident they will deliver.