As NDEBUMOG warns against shrinking civic space

Concerned by the high degree of marginalisation and injustice against women in the Niger Delta region, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has pledged to support women from the region to seek legal actions.
 
The women had lamented that the marginalisation and poor treatment against them by some community heads, oil and gas industries, among others, are so glaring, stating that they are dying in silence because they do not know the right steps to take towards addressing their challenges and improving their conditions.
 
The women disclosed this during an interactive session on “Strategic Litigation and Women’s Role in Advancing Social Justice in the Niger Delta” organised by SERAP in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, yesterday. After listening to the women who spoke during the questions and answers session after a training on ‘Legal Tools for Women in Oil Producing Communities,’ SERAP promised to follow up on the feedbacks it received from the women drawn from Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Edo . Rivers states, over the denial from participation in issues that affect their lives. 
 
MEANWHILE, the Nigeria Delta Budget Monitoring Group (NDEBUMOG) has expressed deep concern over the shrinking civic space in Nigeria, particularly with the 2027 general elections approaching. 

According to the group, the legislatures at all levels have failed to protect citizens’ rights and civic space, with some lawmakers even encouraging the violation of human rights. 

This was disclosed yesterday in a communique at an event to strengthen Nigeria’s Civic Space Protection Alliance (NCSPA) Human Rights Monitoring Hubs (HR-MHs), organised by NDEBUMOG, with support from Oxdam, held in Akwa-Ibom State. 

NDEBUMOG bemoaned that authorities often use insecurity as an excuse to trample on citizens’ rights, especially freedom of expression, movement, and assembly.

The group called on the government at all levels to create an enabling environment that allows citizens to exercise their democratic freedoms and prioritise the protection of civic space. 

They also urged lawmakers to wake up to their primary responsibilities of protecting citizens’ rights and civic space using their oversight functions and legislative duties.