By Rhoda Godwin
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has commenced a nationwide training programme for law enforcement officers and key stakeholders on public health, gender and human rights in HIV and tuberculosis (TB) responses.
The training brings together officers of the Nigeria Police Force, Nigerian Correctional Service, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), HISBAH, community policing structures, as well as traditional and religious leaders.
The two-day programme is taking place simultaneously across Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, under the Global Fund Grant Cycle 7. It is aimed at strengthening the capacity of frontline institutions to adopt human rights-based, gender-sensitive and public health-informed approaches in law enforcement and community engagement, particularly in Nigeria’s HIV and TB response.
Participants are being engaged through interactive sessions, group discussions and practical case analyses focusing on the right to health, stigma and discrimination, protection of key and vulnerable populations, community collaboration, and the application of Standard Minimum Guidelines in arrests, detention and prosecution involving people affected by HIV and TB.
Speaking at the state-level training, the Executive Secretary of the NHRC, Dr. Tony Ojukwu, SAN, OFR, described the programme as both a professional and moral obligation rooted in the inherent dignity of every human being. He noted that Nigeria continues to face the “twin burden” of HIV and TB, worsened by stigma, discrimination and structural barriers to justice and healthcare, particularly for key populations.
Dr. Ojukwu said law enforcement agencies, traditional rulers and religious leaders are often the first point of contact for individuals affected by HIV and TB, placing them in a critical position to either reinforce barriers or promote human rights, dignity and access to justice. He expressed concern over practices such as unlawful arrests, breaches of confidentiality, discrimination, gender-based abuses and extortion, warning that such actions undermine public health outcomes and violate fundamental human rights.
According to the NHRC, the training seeks to improve understanding of the public health realities of HIV and TB; promote human rights-based and gender-sensitive law enforcement practices; reduce stigma and discrimination against key and vulnerable populations; strengthen collaboration among law enforcement agencies, health institutions, communities and civil society; and enhance awareness and application of legal protections and Standard Minimum Guidelines.
At the end of the programme, participants are expected to develop actionable plans to improve rights-respecting practices within their respective institutions and communities.
Dr. Ojukwu reaffirmed that the protection of human rights is not in conflict with effective law enforcement but forms its foundation, adding that public health outcomes are strongest where dignity, equality and non-discrimination are upheld. He also commended the Global Fund for its support in capacity building, legal reforms and institutional strengthening, urging participants to serve as champions of rights-based approaches in Nigeria’s HIV and TB response.
The NHRC reiterated its commitment to promoting, protecting and enforcing human rights in Nigeria through strategic engagement, capacity building and collaboration with state and non-state actors, ensuring that no one is left behind in the national response to HIV and TB.
For further information, contact:
Global Fund Project Management Unit
National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Abuja
Email: globalfund@nhrc.gov.ng, info@nhrc.gov.ng
