By Ibironke Ariyo
The German Government has called for improved coordination among government agencies, civil society organisations (CSOs) and digital platforms to enhance human rights case management in Nigeria.
Annett Günther, German Ambassador to Nigeria, made the call on Thursday in Abuja at the DEVATOP TALKAM Human Rights Dialogue and Case Management Forum.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the forum, organised by the Devatop Centre for Africa Development, focused on strengthening Nigeria’s human rights protection systems and ensuring survivor-centred interventions.
Günther commended Devatop for its innovative TALKAM platform, which allowed citizens to report human rights abuses, track cases and access support services.
She noted that TALKAM’s integration of technology and justice earned global recognition, including the Innovation Award from the United Nations Alliance of Civilisations (UNAOC), Accenture, and BMW.
She highlighted Germany’s continued support, through BMW, in building technical capacity for the platform.
The ambassador acknowledged the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) “for its tireless work in combating human trafficking and supporting survivors.”
She observed that platforms like TALKAM complement NAPTIP’s efforts by expanding reporting avenues, improving coordination and enabling timely interventions.
Günther also commended the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) “for its critical role in promoting human rights nationwide.”
She said collaboration between NHRC and digital platforms such as TALKAM would ensure reported cases received proper institutional follow-up and redress.
While noting Nigeria’s progress in human rights protection, Gunther stressed persistent challenges.
This, she said, include inadequate coordination between government and civil society actors, weak referral systems, logistic constraints and interventions that often fail to focus on survivors’ needs.
“This forum aims to address these gaps by facilitating dialogue, sharing best practices, forging partnerships and developing actionable solutions.
“We urge stakeholders to leverage innovation to generate practical and transformative solutions to improve case management and protect human rights,” she added.
The ambassador appreciated participants for their commitment to creating transparent, responsive and accessible systems for survivors.
She expressed confidence that the forum would produce inspiring conversations, collaborations and concrete commitments that would ensure every person’s rights are not only protected in principle, but upheld in practice. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Hadiza Mohammed-Aliyu
