Abuja – The Federal Government has invited three UN human rights experts to assess the conditions of women and children freed from Boko Haram insurgents, from Monday, Jan. 18 to Friday, 22.
This is contained in a statement made available by Oluseyi Soremekun, National Information Office, UN Information Centre, Lagos, to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Thursday.
According to the statement, the experts are the UN Special Rapporteurs on Sale of Children, Maud de Boer-Buquicchio, on Slavery, Urmila Boola, and on Right to Health, Dainus Pūras.
“The Special Rapporteurs, who are visiting Nigeria at the invitation of the Federal Government, will be meeting representatives from various Ministries, civil society and relevant UN agencies.
“They also are expected to visit detention centres,” the statement said.
During their visit, the experts would examine the measures to assist in the rehabilitation and reintegration of the women and children who escaped or were liberated from Boko Haram captivity.
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It quoted the trio as pledging to engage all parties in the rehabilitation and reintegration of the children and women to ensure that all measures taken complied with international standards.
“In that regard, we look forward to engaging with all parties and put our expertise at their disposal,” they said.
The three independent experts were mandated by the UN Human Rights Council to promote comprehensive strategies to prevent and protect the rights of women and children who were subjected to heinous forms of exploitation amounting to sale and slavery.
“During their five-day visit, the experts would gather information on the various initiatives adopted by governmental, international and non-governmental actors to support these women and children to cope with immense suffering, trauma and stigma.
“They would also assess measures taken or intended to be taken to ensure the possible return of the victims to “normality,” the statement said.
At the end of their visit, the experts would share with the media, their preliminary observations and recommendations at a news conference at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja, on Jan. 22.
It said the Special Rapporteurs would present a report on their visit to the UN Human Rights Council in the course of the year. (NAN)
