For many young Nigerians, education is the bridge between poverty and opportunity. For some visually impaired students, that bridge once seemed impossible to cross until determined advocates stepped in to change their story.
Today, many of those young people are graduates and professionals, living proof that when barriers to education are removed, lives are transformed. It was this human story of hope and inclusion that shaped discussions at the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) in Abuja, where the Commission reaffirmed its commitment to protecting every child's right to quality education and expanding partnerships that promote inclusive learning across the country.
Speaking on behalf of the Executive Secretary of the Commission, Chief Tony Ojukwu, SAN, OFR, the Director of Human Rights Education and Promotion, Mrs. Agharase Arase, said the Executive Secretary, an educationist, considers education one of the strongest tools for advancing human rights and building a just society. She noted that the Commission is founded on accountability, trustworthiness and empathy, values that enable it to connect with citizens and respond to their needs.
Arase explained that the NHRC works through its offices in the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory, alongside its media platforms, to educate Nigerians about their rights. She added that the Commission has consistently championed inclusive education by amplifying the voices of persons with disabilities and remains open to collaborations that improve access to education for vulnerable groups.
Earlier, the Founder of the Confluence Amazons Charitable Foundation (CACF), Hajia Rukayat Jumai Husseini, appealed to the Commission to enter into a strategic partnership that would strengthen advocacy for educational rights and ensure that no Nigerian child is denied an education because of disability, poverty or social disadvantage. Sharing the Foundation's journey, Husseini said that although CACF was officially incorporated in 2023, it has spent nearly two decades changing lives through educational advocacy, youth development, mental health awareness and community enlightenment. She recalled the Foundation's campaign that secured admission opportunities for qualified blind candidates into Nigerian tertiary institutions, explaining that many of those beneficiaries have gone on to become successful professionals, demonstrating what is possible when young people are given equal opportunities.
Husseini described education as more than classroom learning, calling it a fundamental human right that gives young people the power to dream, compete and contribute to society. She expressed concern that with an estimated 10.5 million Nigerian children still out of school, countless dreams remain unrealised. According to her, the consequences of educational exclusion are evident in rising poverty, unemployment, child labour, early marriage, insecurity and violent extremism.
She proposed a partnership between CACF and the NHRC covering public enlightenment campaigns, human rights education in schools and communities, research, policy dialogue, inclusive education and capacity-building for educators, youth leaders and civil society organisations. Stressing that the Foundation was not seeking financial support,
According to Mrs Husseini the goal was to build a lasting institutional alliance that would give every Nigerian child the opportunity to learn, fulfil their potential and become a force for national development.
