Global Rights has observed that there are very few government agencies in Nigeria that are not aware of the National Policy on Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and the role that they should play in the execution of the policy.
The National Policy on Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Nigeria, makes provision for the protection of the General and Specific Rights of IDPs.
The Executive Director of Global Rights, Abiodun Baiyewu, made the observation at the Intergenerational Fireside Chat on “Amplifying the Voices of Internally Displaced Persons in Nigeria’s Civic Space” at the weekend in Abuja.
According to her, every Nigerian should also understand this policy and their role to implement this policy and understand how their fellow Nigerians who are IDPs are caught up in one crisis or another.
She said the Fireside Chat events are a series of frank informal dialogues among citizens which seek to proffer solutions to critical issues that threaten Nigeria’s civic space and our collective existence as citizens.
She explained that this episode is part of their efforts to address the systemic exclusion of IDPs from the civic space and to provide a platform for them to have a direct say in how they are represented and included and ensure that their realities and aspirations are truly reflected in the civic discourse.
“This Fireside series is focusing on Inclusivity in our society . This particular instant, we are looking at Internally Displaced Persons and how invisible their voices are in the society incase they are casting votes, protection of human rights and others because IDPs voices are not heard.
“If almost 2.5m Nigerians are Internally Displaced and yet we do not hear their voices and very few people know of their existence or issues that they face then it’s time to have that conversation.
” In Nigeria, we talk about the shrinking civic space and we often focus on how government is shrinking that space but we rarely give thought to how we as citizens are not inclusive of minority populations like the IDPs.
“The IDP is just about 1 percent of the Nigerian population but the critical and very vulnerable parts of that population and its time we amplify their voices.
“We are bothered about the children that have grown as IDPs, that came from the North East and other places and have grown in 10years and their futures don’t look bright.
“These are the critical community of people and its time we listen to them and not speak for them and what they require to have, ” Baiyewu said .
She said the conversation also aims to move beyond tokenism and towards meaningful participation by providing a platform for IDPs to share their own experiences and perspectives and guide the narrative in ways that reflect their realities.
A representative from National Commission for Refugees on Migrant and Internally Displaced Persons, Abdullahi Ahmed said their Commission is responsible for the care and maintenance rehabilitation and protection of the IDPs, refugees, migrants , returnees , displaced persons .
According to him, the Commission is supported by the Federal Government and they have a good relationship going by o
their mandate.
He said the Commission through it planning and various projects is working towards the amoleriation of most of these problems .
“The Commission is basically on durable solutions. We have been assisting the IDPs to be sure that they are not lacking,” he said.
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