The immediate past Vice Chairman and Chairman, Human Rights Committee, Nigerian Bar Association, Owerri Branch, Dr. Chioma Emukah says Nigerian government has a sacred duty to restore dignity by protecting everyday essentials.
She stated this in her message to Nigerians on the 2025 Human Rights Day celebration.
According to her, governments must legislate with dignity at the center, prioritize essentials such as food, housing, safety, and freedom.
She emphasized that justice sector must adopt stronger preventive mechanism, judicial integrity and excellence to ensure public safety and uphold the rule of law.
Full Text of Dr. Emukah’s Message…
Today being 10th Day of December 2025, we gather to celebrate Human Rights Day , a day that reminds us of a truth both timeless and urgent: human rights are not distant ideals written in treaties or declarations. They are our everyday essentials. They are the food we eat, the roofs over our heads, the safety of our families, the voices we raise, and the dignity we carry. Without them, life itself is diminished.
BRIEF HISTORY.
Seventy-seven years ago, in 1948, the world emerged from the devastation of war and declared, through the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, that dignity belongs to all people. That declaration was not a gift, nor a privilege. It was a promise — a promise that every person, everywhere, would be entitled to the essentials of life and liberty.
But promises must be kept. And in 2025, we must ask ourselves: are we keeping that promise? Are we ensuring that human rights remain the compass guiding us through turbulent times?
Defining “Our Everyday Essentials”
This year’s theme — “Our Everyday Essentials” — reminds us that human rights are not abstract concepts. They are the daily foundations of dignity and well-being. Let us reflect on what these essentials mean. These are ;
Safety: No child should grow up fearing violence. No family should live under the shadow of war or insecurity. Safety is not optional — it is a right.
Food: Hunger is not fate. It is a violation of human dignity when food is denied. Every person deserves nourishment.
Housing: A roof over one’s head is not charity. It is the cornerstone of stability, belonging, and dignity.
Voice: Silencing people is stripping them of humanity. Freedom of expression is the heartbeat of democracy.
Dignity: Discrimination corrodes societies. Respect for dignity is the glue that holds communities together.
Education and jobs . Invest in schools , vocational training , built Industries to create job opportunities ,. A nation that ignores its youth ignores its future.
Healthcare- Strengthen public hospitals , subsidize , essential medicines and prioritize maternal and Child Health . Health is the Foundation of dignity.
These are not luxuries. They are the essentials of human existence. To deny them is to deny humanity itself.
Global Challenges
Across the world, these essentials have been continuously under threat as ,
Conflict continues to displace millions, tearing families apart and leaving communities fractured.
Climate change brings floods, droughts, and disasters that rob people of food, shelter, and security.
Inequality grows wider, leaving billions without access to the basics of life.,such as Right to Life, Liberty and security , Right to Adequate Standard of Living which includes –Adequate Food, Housing , Medical care , gainful employment. Right to Education, Right to freedom from Torture or inhuman treatment. To mention but a few.
Silencing voices through censorship and authoritarianism undermines democracy and erodes trust.
When essentials are stripped away, societies fracture. When they are protected, communities flourish.
NIGERIA’S CURRENT STRUGGLE .
In Nigeria today, families are struggling to afford food , housing , education , healthcare etc . Inflation has eroded incomes, Jobs are scarce . Many young people feel excluded from opportunities and in reaction crime rate continue to rise ,Communities face insecurity , and voices are silence when they demand accountability. This is not just an economic crisis . It is a human rights crisis ,because when essentials are denied , dignity is denied.
Call to Action.
The Nigerian government has a sacred duty to restore dignity by protecting everyday essentials;.
Governments must legislate with dignity at the center. Policies must prioritize essentials — food, housing, safety, and freedom and justice sector must adopt stronger preventive mechanism , judicial integrity and excellence to ensure public safety and uphold the rule of law.
Civil society must mobilize communities to defend rights, to stand against injustice, and to amplify the voices of the marginalized.
Individuals must practice human rights daily — in workplaces, schools, homes, and neighborhoods. Human rights begin at home, in how we treat one another, in the respect we show, in the solidarity we extend.
Inspirational Appeal
Human rights are not distant promises. They are the bread we share, the shelter we build, the voices we raise, and the dignity we uphold.
Let us remember: when rights are secured, dignity is preserved. And when dignity is preserved, humanity thrives.
On this Human Rights Day, let us recommit to protecting our everyday essentials. Let us be the generation that not only speaks of rights but lives them — every day, for everyone, everywhere and hands must be on deck to restore the dignity of Man.
Because human rights are not abstract. They are our everyday essentials. And when we defend them, we defend humanity itself.
Thank you.
DR CHIOMA EMUKAH (JP)
HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVIST.
IMMEDIATE PAST VICE – CHAIRMAN/CHAIRMAN
HUMAN RIGHTS COMMITTEE NBA OWERRI BRANCH.
GBV ZERO TOLERANCE ADVOCATE
MEMBER GBV STEERING OF ACADI & LAW TEACHER.