NGO sensitises inmates to fundamental human rights, freedom

Headfort Foundation, an NGO, has sensitised the inmates of Oregun Boys Special Correctional Centre to their fundamental human rights, privileges and freedom before the law.

Mrs Oluyemi Orija, Executive Director of the Foundation, stated this while speaking with journalists on Thursday in Lagos.

Orija spoke on the sidelines of the sensitisation workshop.

The executive director said the exercise was a continuation of the project “My Rights, My Freedom,” launched in March to sensitise Nigerians to their fundamental human rights in their language.

Orija said that the foundation was established to democratise access to justice for all, especially the vulnerable and the most abandoned in society.

According to her, the foundation identified the importance of language in making sure no one is left behind in accessing justice and education on fundamental human rights.

“We have translated chapters of the Nigerian Constitution on fundamental human rights in the Nigerian languages.

“I would go to communities, schools everywhere to teach people, based on the language that they understand.

“We have been coming to Oregun Boys Special Correctional Centre to take cases for free for the inmates in the courts.

She said that the foundation realised that most of them really didn’t understand what was going on in courts because they were children in ages 7, 10 to 17 years.

“That is why we saw the need for us to come here and educate them so they can also ask questions based on the cases they are facing,” Orija said.

She said that the foundation had also partnered with some other organisations to offer psychosocial services to the inmates.

She said that in particular, the foundation had collaborated with a group of medical personnel to counsel the inmates on mental health issues.

The executive director said the foundation’s ex-inmate support initiative had helped them to integrate back into society after their release from the correctional centre.

She noted that the foundation had also helped 332 inmates out of the correctional centres so far.

Orija stated that funding had remained a consistent challenge in executing most of the programmes outlined by the foundation.

She, however, expressed gratitude to individuals and corporate organisations who believed in the vision and mission of the foundation and had been a great pillar of support to the NGO.

Partners in the project included Public Interest Law Partnership and Raised for Excellence Foundation.