Amnesty International Sunday said shrinking civic space is not only happening in Nigeria, but a global phenomenon.
The programme manager, Amnesty International, Barbara Magaji, said countries are not allowing people to enjoy their rights as there are restrictions by governments.
While citing an example at the International Human Rights Day, 2024 Shrinking Civic Space in Nigeria and Implications on Human Rights Advocacy organised by Amnesty International, she said recently in South Korea, the government introduced martial law, and thinks the president has agreed to lift it up.
She said different things are happening in different countries, adding that in the West African sub-region, they even see regime change as very difficult.
“People want to succeed more than two times. So continuity of governance, and of course no respect for democracy, and of course also not respecting the rights of people living within those spaces,” he said.
Also, the keynote speaker and executive director of Invictus Africa, Bukky Shonibare spoke on “Voices Unchained, Bodies Unburied,” and painted a vivid picture of both the resilience and the cost of defending human rights in Nigeria.
She said it reminds the audience of the urgency to protect civic space and the people who risk everything to ensure that voices of protest are not silenced and that the memories of those who have fallen in the struggle for justice are honored.
“Understanding civic space and the state of civic space in Nigeria is to fully grasp the challenges before us. We must first understand the concept of civic space and its profound significance to democracy.
“Civic space is the environment that allows individuals and groups to organise, participate, and communicate freely without fear of reprisal.
“It is the foundation upon which a healthy democracy is built, providing citizens with the freedom to voice their opinions, assemble peacefully, and advocate for change,” he said.
