Theme: Responsive Democracy: Protecting Human Dignity through Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion
Nigeria in 2025 faced deepening insecurity, economic hardship, and declining trust in democratic institutions. Violent attacks, widespread kidnapping, and rising hunger exposed long-standing gaps in governance and accountability, with marginalized communities bearing the greatest impact. Queer people, people living with HIV, women, young people, and ethnic and religious minorities continued to face discrimination, criminalization, and institutional neglect.
On Friday, 12th December 2025, TIERs held its 11th Annual Human Rights, Sexuality & the Law Symposium which focused on discussing solutions to tackling these insecurities faced by these minority groups offline and online.
Why This Symposium Matters
In his welcome speech, Afolabi Aiyela, Executive Director of The Initiative for Equal Rights (TIERs) emphasized that, “Those of us who live at the margins— Key populations, persons living with HIV, persons with disabilities, women, young people, ethnic and religious minorities—continue to bear the heaviest cost of criminalization, stigma, and neglect. Laws like the SSMPA, along with pervasive moral panic and sociocultural queer-phobia, legitimize violence, fuel blackmail, and deny our fellow citizens safety and belonging.”
He went on to point out that these “erosion of rights is not merely a social issue; it is a democratic issue.” A democracy that cannot protect its most vulnerable citizens cannot be considered fully functional.
In agreement was Dr. Tony Ojukwu OFR SAN, Executive Secretary, National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), who also delivered a welcome speech.
The keynote speech was delivered by Arit Okpo, Global Media Talent and Media Services Provider.
Held under the theme “Responsive Democracy: Protecting Human Dignity through Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion,” the symposium provided a platform to examine how Nigeria’s legal and political systems could better reflect the lived realities of marginalized communities through two panel discussions:
Panel Discussion I: ‘Protecting Human Dignity through Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion’ with panelists; Anietie Ewang, Researcher, Human Rights Watch,
Obioma Chukwuike, Executive Director, Intersex Nigeria,
Dorothy Njemanze, Executive Director and Cofounder, Dorothy Njemanze Foundation,
and moderated by Chimdimma Ike, Director of Programmes, TIERs.
Panel Discussion 2: ‘Tackling Insecurity and Leaving No One Behind’ with panelists;
Hauwa Shaffii Nuhu, Managing Editor, HumAngle,
Chioma Okoli, National Human Rights Commission (NHRC),
Gbemisola Adewale, Women’s Rights and Digital Safety Lead, TechHerNG ,
and moderated by Oyindamola Bolaji, Senior Programs Officer, Advocacy and Communication, TIERs.
The 12th Human Rights Violations Report was formally released after a presentation of summary of the data from the report by Alexandra Maduagwu, Senior Programs Officer, Human Rights and Advocacy, TIERs.
This symposium brought together government officials, civil society actors, legal professionals, diplomatic missions, and community voices to discuss institutional responsibility, organized violence against vulnerable groups, and the importance of solidarity across movements. At its core, the symposium served as a call to move beyond performative inclusion toward responsive governance rooted in dignity, justice, and accountability.
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