At an event organised by Global Rights in collaboration with Stand with the Girl Child Initiative has brought to light the deplorable conditions faced by Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Nigeria, with many calling for urgent action from the government and international organizations.
“The Nigerian government has neglected the IDPs, making promises without fulfilling them. The Kampala convention was signed, but nothing has been done. There is no medical attention, no healthcare facility, no education, nothing,” said a representative of Global Rights, a human rights organization.
The event, themed “Amplifying the Voices of Internally Displaced Persons in Nigerian Civil Space,” was attended by representatives from the Almajiri Child right initiative, United Nations Human Rights and the United Nations Commission on Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons.
Speaking to newsmen at the event which took place in Abuja, on Friday, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) coordinator of Almajiri Child right initiative, Hajia Zainab Musa Ogaji, explained that the IDPs at the event expressed frustration and despair, feeling forgotten and neglected by the government and international organizations. “The government forgets them, neglects them,” said one IDP. “Even the UN Human Rights, they come and make empty promises without fulfilling them. Other NGOs and government agencies come, take pictures, give small tokens, and upload them on social media, claiming they are taking care of us. But it’s not true.”
She emphasised that the main concerns of the IDPs are health, education, employment, and social inclusion. “We want the government to cater for their needs because IDPs are also citizens with rights,” Ogaji said.
However, there is a glimmer of hope. Stand with the Girl Child Initiative has been making progress in helping IDPs, particularly girl children. “We have registered 27 girls in school, educated them, and introduced literacy, numeracy, and vocational training,” said a representative of the initiative. “We want to help them stand out, regardless of their situation or condition.”
The event highlighted the need for concrete actions to address the needs of IDPs in Nigeria. As one IDP said, “We want to see possibilities, to see life outside our community, to see that we can be better persons or be who we want to be.”
The Kampala Convention, which Nigeria signed, addresses the responsibilities of state and non-state actors towards IDPs. It is time for action, not just words.