FINALLY!
Finally, I’m doing something more intentional about human rights in my society and I’m really excited about it.
When Uka Eje (Yesss, the guy who the Vice President spoke about at The Platform—- I know people, guys), called me and gave me this idea, I thought, ‘WOW! Why did I never think about this.’ And as it ran it through my mind all day, I could barely sit still.
It has been a short while from then till now and I have basically spent time doing my research and talking to the best minds about it.
So yesssss, chapteriv.ng launches in 23 days!
ChapterIV is essentially a platform to assist victims of fundamental rights violation get access to justice by seeking the enforcement of those violated rights in court.
In its simplest form it helps to connect the victim of a right violation to a lawyer who is willing to seek the enforcement of this right pro-bono. The name ‘ChapterIV’ got its origin from the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. ChapterIV of the constitution is the chapter which contains provisions for the Fundamental Human Rights of Nigerians.
The way human rights work in my head is like this: A privilege is entitled to a person by the Constitution. That privilege validly belongs to that person and no one is entitled to erode on that privilege (this is obviously within the constraints of same Constitution). And so when other people or EVEN the government disregard constitutionally guaranteed rights, it irks me, and I believe something should be done about it.
It hurts me more because most times, the rich and well-represented either never have their privileges taken from them OR can defend themselves, and so we’d usually find that it is the poor, illiterate, vulnerable or unrepresented people who usually cannot boast of basic things such as the right to life, the right to dignity of their person, right to expression, right to movement, right to liberty, right to privacy, right to freedom from discrimination, right to peaceful assembly and so on.
So ChapterIV isn’t working any magic really. It’s just going to ensure that the fundamental and basic rights given to all people, are respected.
I cannot wait to see ChapterIV in motion. I cannot wait to see human rights enforced against people who already believe they’re above the law. I cannot wait to witness a significant restrain from blatant oppression. I cannot wait to see check and balances. I cannot wait to see the respect of human rights. I cannot wait to witness constitutional promises kept. I cannot wait to contribute to a working system; rather than just fold my hands and complain. I cannot wait to restore hope. (I sound like a presidential aspirant)
Although the site launches on Democracy day (May 29), I really cannot wait. And you shouldn’t wait either.
SO:
If you or someone you know has had a fundamental right, violated, please report it here
(Note that it doesn’t have to be you. You can commence a fundamental rights enforcement matter on behalf of someone else)
If you’re a lawyer and you wish to offer your services pro-bono kindly sign up here
(You can get to choose whether it’ll be entirely free or if we’ll have to pay admin fees like filing and transport)
If you wish to know more about what these rights are, just click here
(It directs to the constitution)
If you want to send me a personal message, please click here
Peace!
I'd love to hear your thoughts!