By Yunus S Saliu
The Continental Platform for Non-governmental Organisations (NGOs), Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), and other rights-related activists, otherwise called “NGO Forum” opened on Saturday.
The forum opened with calls under the theme “Educate an African Fit for the 21st Century: Building Resilient Education Systems for Increased Access to Inclusive, Lifelong, Quality, and Relevant Learning in Africa,” the event aimed to explore strategies for enhancing education systems across the continent.
In her opening remarks, Hannah Forster Executive Director of the African Centre for Democracy and Human Rights Studies (ACDHRS) paid tribute to the African Commission and its leadership for the exemplary role played and continues to play in providing and supporting space for interaction between and among its stakeholders, particularly civil society.
She called on duty bearers for the promotion and protection of human rights noting that the promotion and protection of human rights remains a collective responsibility.
She emphasized the importance of collective commitment in advancing human rights agendas. She stressed the shared responsibility in promoting and safeguarding human rights, acknowledging the vital role civil society plays alongside governments and other stakeholders.
Honorable Janet Ramatoulie Sallah-Njie, Vice Chairperson of the African Commission for Human and Peoples’ Rights, highlighted the pivotal role of education in addressing challenges like poverty and human rights violations. She emphasized the need for investment in rural schools, grants for vulnerable groups, and ensuring educational access for all, including girls, children with disabilities, and indigenous communities.
“We need to invest in schools in rural areas, provide grants as lifelines for vulnerable groups, and path the way for the education of every child, including girls, children with disabilities, and those from the indigenous communities. In so doing we are empowering African youth, preparing them towards source of economy perspective, and social harmony,” she said.
Justice Aishatou Jallow Sey, representing the chief justice, aligned the forum’s theme with the African Union’s overarching theme of the year. She emphasized education as a cornerstone of development, democracy, and human rights, stressing its role in empowering individuals and fostering equality