…To extend its “provision of life-saving and long-term assistance to communities.”
by Christiana Gokyo, Jos
JOS: An NGO, called ‘Norwegian Refugee Council’ (NRC) – an Independent Humanitarian, International Non-governmental Organization that works to protect the rights of displaced and vulnerable persons during crisis – has visited the Plateau State’s Nigerian Union of Journalists to seek collaboration between the NUJ and NAWOJ.
Speaking at the visit, leader of the team, Miss Benny Dung, said the NRC works in more than 40 countries in crisis areas, providing life-saving and long-term assistance to millions of people every year.
According to her, NRC is a rights-based organization and is committed to the principles of humanity, independence, and impartiality, adding that, it provides assistance to meet humanitarian needs, prevents further displacement and contributes to durable solution through its Information Counseling and Legal Assistances (ICLA).
She said the system is also covered with the legal aid component, food security and livelihood (LFS) support, Education, Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), Shelter and Protection from Violence.
Miss Dung further explained that, ICLA sector serves as organization’s rights-based and protection division, adding that its primary role is to support individuals in asserting and exercising their Housing, Land and Property rights through the provision Information, Counseling, Legal Assistances, Collaborative Dispute Resolution, Capacity-building initiative and advocacy efforts.
She stressed that, NRC came to Nigeria in 2015, and it came to Plateau State in 2021 and has moved round to 7 local governments where there has been witnessing of crisis.
“Under the Small Fund Project, our aim is to enhance access to housing, land and property rights, particularly for women and girls, while also promoting awareness of relevant laws and policies by the following outcome’” Miss Dung stated.
She narrated that, the organization is contributing to ensuring that traditional leaders respect the 1978 Land Use Act by changing their harmful traditional practices that limit women’s access to HLP and by promoting HLP rights for women.
She noted that, this process will also raise community awareness, strengthen award development committees, and secure commitments from political stakeholders and traditional leaders to ensure the protection of women’s rights to housing, land, and property (HLP) access under the 1978 Land Act.
In their separate responses, Chairman NUJ, Ayuku Pwopo, and Nene Dung, assured of their support and collaboration, urging that, NRC should always let them know more about what they do.
“And that is one of the major things that have been a problem in the society and Nigeria as a whole; it’s where we store large ‘traditional practices’ that are preventing women from owning properties. And we will collaborate with you in any way we can as journalists,” they stated.