Citizen Commons holds Legal Protection Awareness for Activists

The Charging Dock brought together legal practitioners and human rights experts to discuss and bring awareness on key legal protections and frameworks that exist to help activists, community leaders, change-makers, and any everyday Nigerians. This awareness is to demand increased accountability, especially in the wake of the heightened clamp on the civic space in Nigeria.

There is no doubt that our democracy is under siege with an increased effort by state actors to limit the expression as well as enjoyment of fundamental freedoms by Nigerians despite the constitutional protections offered. The events of recent times have further heightened the determination of the current government to trample on our constitutionally right to assembly, protest, the freedom of expression, assembly, and many more.

And with increased insecurity, economic and social inequality, and dissatisfaction with the performance of the government, more Nigerians are expressing their frustration with the political leadership. It is therefore important to understand some of the key legal instrumentation and protections that can guide these social actions and community movements either as individuals or as a collective.

The event discussed key strategies, tools, and tactics that can help everyday Nigerians, activists and other change leaders explore their fundamental freedoms, demand improved governance accountability using the law as a shield as well as a sword.