By: George Ozalla
Abuja, Nigeria –
The 2025 Regional Africa Human Rights Academic Network Conference came to a close yesterday, leaving an indelible mark on the continent’s pursuit of human rights, environmental sustainability, and climate justice action.
The 3-day gathering which commenced on Wednesday 19th- Friday 21st February 2025 in Abuja, brought together good number of renowned scholars, researchers, professors, and experts from across Africa to dissect intricate relationships between human rights, environment, and climate change issues with a view to achieving synergized favourable outcome.
The conference, themed “Human Rights, Environment and Climate Change: Access to Environment and Climate Justice,” was a great success, featuring in-depth research analyses, paper reviews, panel discussions, and technical sessions.
The robust conference provided a veritable platform for participants to share knowledge, experiences, and best practices in promoting human rights, environmental sustainability, and climate justice in Africa as a whole.
The Executive Secretary of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Dr. Tony Ojukwu, SAN, reiterated the commitment to sustaining quality actions and programs over the next one year.
He expressed optimism about Africa’s ability to tackle the human rights emergency posed by climate change, saying, “I believe that we have what it takes to tackle this human rights emergency, which climate change has become for our dear continent.”
Dr. Ojukwu also took the opportunity to express his gratitude to the excellent professors who reviewed papers, especially Mr. Hilary Ugwumba, Senior Human Rights Advisor, and other members of staff, the UNN team, the media, and everyone who contributed to the conference’s success.
In her closing remarks, Professor Joy Ngozi Ezeilo of the Law Faculty, University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN), who also served as the conference program Director emphasized the significance of the conference, stating, “The issue of human rights, environment, and climate change, access to environment and climate justice within the continental and regional human rights framework, is crucial for us in Africa. Through our south-south collaboration and scholarship, we aim to interrogate and contribute to ensuring that policymakers are on the right track and extant policies are implemented.”
In his vote of thanks, the Dean of the Faculty of Law, University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN), Professor Festus Okechukwu Ukwueze, acknowledged the great contributions made by scholars and participants, urging everyone to remain committed to the cause.
The conference culminated in a scintillating dinner at the classy Cilantro Restaurant in Maitama District, Abuja featuring live band performances by the police band, after sight seeing of the city earlier.
Guests were treated to different fun-filled evening of music, dance, laughter and different cuisines, with many participants, including Mahmoud Hazem from The British University in Egypt, Dr. Dagim Melese from the Center for Human Rights of Addis Ababa University, and Alejandro Fuentes from the Raoul Wallenberg Institute and others, joining in the dance circle.
The conference’s success has no doubt set the stage for continued collaboration and action among African scholars, experts, and policymakers in addressing the continent’s human rights, environmental, and climate change challenges.
The conference was co-hosted by National Human Rights Commission NHRC and University of Nigeria Nsukka UNN, Faculty of Law.
