Human Rights and Strong Institutions: A Study of Amnesty International in Nigeria

Ebieri  Favour; Sheriff  Folarin

doi:10.17561/tahrj.v16.6092

Authors

Ebieri Favour Covenant University
Sheriff Folarin Covenant University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.17561/tahrj.v16.6092

Keywords:

Amnesty International, Human Rights, Strong Institutions

Abstract

Human right is a topical issue globally but attaining it has remained very difficult. Every day, people around the world face different forms of dehumanizing treatment from their governments, multinationals and other groups. For decade too, strong institutions have emerged to fight for the rights of the voiceless and the weak. One of these institutions is Amnesty International (AI). This paper examines the activities of Amnesty International in the promotion and protection of human rights vis-a-vis the nature of operations, contributions and challenges in Nigeria. The paper adopts desk research design, which is based on secondary sources from journals, books and other printed materials. Findings revealed that AI has significantly contributed to the promotion of human rights in Nigeria through different approaches such as advocacy/campaign, governance peer review, shaming-and-naming approach, and support for domestic civil rights groups, among others. However, findings also showed that the main challenges of AI are the negative perceptions of some sections toward the organization as a tool for promoting western ideology and the low awareness and involvement of individuals at the grassroots in developing nations like Nigeria. The paper recommends that the organization intensifies its promotional activities in a manner that would improve its reputation as well as help to educate and provide access for engagement of locals in developing countries.

References

Adams, B. (2017). Spotlight on Sustainable Development 2017; Reclaiming Policies for the Public: Privatization, Partnership, Corporate Capture, and Their Impact on Sustainability and Inequality- Assessments and Alternatives: Report by the Civil Society Reflection Group on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Adepegba, A. and Akinkuotu, E. (2017). Protesters ask Amnesty International to leave Nigeria. https://punchng.com/protesters-ask-amnesty-international-to-leave-nigeria/

Alice M. N. Karen, B. Danna, I. & James, S. (2013). A Research Agenda for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, Journal of Human Rights Practice, 5 (3), 401-420. https://doi.org/10.1093/jhuman/hut026

Amnesty International (2008). European Union: Rising to the Challenge of Protecting Human Rights Defenders. Retrieved December 12, 2020 from https://www.amnesty.org/download/Documents/52000/eur010092008eng.pdf

Amnesty International (2017). Nigeria: Letter Submitting Amnesty International's Memorandum to The Presidential Investigation Panel on Review of Compliance of Armed Forces with Human Rights Obligations and Rules of Engagement. https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/afr44/7074/2017/en/

Amnesty International (2017). Human Rights Defenders under threat- A Shrinking Space for Civil Society. London: Peter Berenson House.

Amnesty International (2019). "Nigeria: Human Rights Agenda". Retrieved January 2020 from http://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/afr44/0431/2019/en/

Balogun, O. and Baiden, R. (2016). Promoting Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions as Enablers for Inclusive Sustainable Development in West Africa. West Africa Civil Society Institute Journal, 5(7) pp. 1-10.

Bardarova, S., Jakovlev, Z., Serafimova, M., & Koteski, C. (2013). The Role of Amnesty International in Protecting Of Human Rights.

Buchanan, T. (2004). Amnesty International in Crisis, 1966-7, Twentieth-Century British History 15, No. 3, 267-289. https://doi.org/10.1093/tcbh/15.3.267

Caudwell, J. & McGee, D. (2018). From Promotion to Protection: Human Rights and Events, Leisure and Sport. https://doi.org/10.1080/02614367.2017.1420814

Chukwuemeka B. E. (2016). The Role of CSOS in Promoting Human Rights Protection, Atrocities Prevention, and Civilian Protection in Armed Conflicts, Global Responsibility to Protect 8 (2016) 249-269. https://doi.org/10.1163/1875984X-00803009

Conor, F. (2009). Beware Human Rights Imperialism," The Guardian, June 23, https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2009/jun/23/human-rights-imperialism-western-

Eckel, J. (2014). The International League for the Rights of Man, Amnesty International, and the Changing Fate of Human Rights Activism from the 1940s through the 1970s, Humanity Summer, 1 (2), 182-214. https://doi.org/10.1353/hum.2013.0014

Eseyin, M. & Udoh, S.E. (2015). When Rights Violate Rights: International Protection of Human Rights, Some Necessary Considerations, International Journal of Humanities and Social Science Vol. 5, No. 6(1), 78-87.

Global Citizenship Commission (2016). The Universal Declaration of Human Rights in the 21st Century, The Universal Declaration of Human Rights in the 21st Century: A Living Document in a Changing World. New York: Open Book publishers.

Government Office of Sweden (2015). "Goal 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions" https://www.government.se/government-policy/the-global-goals-and-the-2030-Agenda-for-sustainable-development/goal-16-peace-justice-and-strong- institutions/

Jacobs, J. E., & Maldonado, M. (2005). Civil Society in Argentina: Opportunities and Challenges for National and Transnational Organisation. Journal of Latin American Studies, 37(1), 141-72. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0022216X04008557

Ki-moon, B. (2016). UN@70 - Human rights at the centre of the global agenda. Retrieved from http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=54444#.WhQrBracZxi

Krasner, Stephen D. (2001). "Sovereignty" Foreign Policy 122 (January-February): 20-29. United Nations Guidance Note (2011). Promotion and protection of Human Rights, Regional and Global Core Human Rights Treaties, Geneva: United Nations.

Okai, A. (2019) Opinion: SDG 16 is an accelerator for the entire 2030 Agenda. https://www.devex.com/news/opinion-sdg-16-is-an-accelerator-for-the-entire-2030-agenda-95289

Omede, A.J & Rufai, B.A. (2014). The Impact of Civil Society Organizations on Sustainable

Potts, R. (2015) Exploring the Usefulness of Structural-Functional Approaches to Systematically Assess the Functionality of Governance Arrangements for Natural Resource Management and Planning in Two Australian Case Studies.

Development in Developing Countries: The Nigerian Experience, An International Multidisciplinary Journal, Ethiopia Vol. 8 (1), 205-227

Onwuazombe, I. (2017). Human Rights Abuse and Violations in Nigeria: A Case Study of the Oil-Producing Communities in the Niger Delta Region," Annual Survey of International & Comparative Law, 22.

Ramcharan, B. G. (2015). Contemporary Human Rights Ideas: Rethinking Theory and Practice. London: Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315751221

Sahara Reporters (2016) Amnesty International Condemns Nigeria's Crackdown on Journalists' Protest. http://saharareporters.com/2016/09/29/amnesty-international-condemns-nigerias-crackdown-journalists-protests.

Schneider, V. (2000). The Social Capital of Amnesty International, Paper prepared for the Workshop 'Voluntary Associations, Social Capital and Interest Mediation: Forging the Link' ECPR Joint Session of Workshops, Copenhagen.

Scholte, J.A. (2001). Civil Society and Democracy in Global Governance. ‖ CSGR Working Paper No. 65/01, University of Warwick. Available online at http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/soc/csgr/research/workingpapers/2001/wp6501.pdf.

Scoble, H. M., & Wiseberg, L. S. (1974). Human Rights and Amnesty International. The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, 413(1), 11-26. https://doi.org/10.1177/000271627441300103

Tobor, J.O and Odubo, F. (2017) Amnesty Program as a Peacebuilding Initiative in Niger Delta, Nigeria. Arts and Social Sciences Journal. J 8: 272. https://doi.org/10.4172/2151-6200.1000272

West Africa Network for Peacebuilding [WANEP) (2014). Transitions and Tensions in West Africa: Building on the Strength and Bridging the Gap in the ECOWAS Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance', wanep Policy Brief, November.

Zafarullah, H. & Rahman, H. (2002). Human Rights, Civil Society and Nongovernmental Organizations: The Nexus in Bangladesh, Available at: http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/hrq/summary/v024/24.4zafarullah.html. https://doi.org/10.1353/hrq.2002.0055