VPs Call to Action online campaign is Calling YOU!

[Jerry C. Nwigwe]

Dear All,

 

Leadership Initiative for Transformation and Empowerment (LITE) Africa through its project,  “A Call to Action : Engaging Stakeholders on the Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights”  supported by Australian Agency for International Development  (AusAID) is engaging  members of the public and civil society actors through the  Nigerian Coalition on Business and Human Rights  in a campaign to get signatories  to press for Nigeria government to sign on to the VPs and become a member of the Voluntary principle on Security and Human Rights Association.  We recently facilitated media advocacy campaigns  through radio interviews in Port Harcourt and Abuja. These efforts are geared  toward raising awareness on the VPs and mobilizing Nigerians for this course. 
LITE Africa has also published a simplify basic reader that is user friendly for the general public to know more on the VPs LITE-Africa VP Basic Reader

The Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights (VPs) is a multi-stakeholders initiative developed in 2000 by governments, companies in the extractive and energy sectors and international NGOs that promote the implementation of a set of principles that guide oil, gas and mining companies to provide security for their operations in a manner that respects human rights  http://www.voluntaryprinciples.org/ . The VPs has been proven in Colombia as a tool with potentials to reduce kidnapping in the extractive sector and this experience could also be applied in the Niger Delta context . VPs as a multi-stakeholder initiatives has great potentials to reducing human rights abuses and other related issues like oil theft and pipeline vandalization if fully implemented by all stakeholders.  The issue of insecurity in the extractive sector has shifted the focus  of our Government and oil companies  to spend  billions  in  providing security for oil exploration in the Niger delta to the detriment to other essential services.  This huge funds could have been channeled to economic development and job creation, education, health and other social services. Australia  recently carried out an assessment and realized the impact of not joining the VPs on their economy and today, Australia has joined being the latest signatory within the governmental pillar. We could also do the same in Nigeria.  Yes, VPs cannot address all the security questions and issues confronting the extractive sector in Nigeria, but it could go a long way to confronting other fundamental  drivers of conflict in the Niger Delta if fully implemented and proper funds that could have gone to security are channeled to address issues of poverty, youth unemployment, education etc.

It is a known fact that most of human rights violations in the Nigeria’s Niger Delta are linked to activities of overzealous security forces who sees the protection of the flow of oil as being superior to the lives of citizens they are ordinary supposed to protect.  This could be attributed to lack of capacity on issues of  human rights provisions in local and international laws on the part of security agencies.


This call for action is to enable LITE- Africa and its coalition partners secure enough signatures to pressure the National Assembly to act.

Please follow the link here to the sign on page Call to Action on the VPs

We also invite you to be part of the Civil Society Coalition  body on Business and Human Rights by kindly:

 

Join us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/nigeriabhrcoalition/

 

On Twitter: @ BHRNigeria

On our email listerserve:

 

To post to this group, send email to nigeria-cso-coalition-on- business-and-human-rights-- ncc...@googlegroups.com.
Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/ group/nigeria-cso-coalition- on-business-and-human-rights-- nccbhr?hl=en.

 

 

Your signature will get us closer to seeing Nigeria government active role in addressing most security challenges in the sector through  fulfilling its state “duty to protect” and be part of the VPs globally.

Thank you for your understanding and support.

LITE-Africa Team

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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