By Lucky Isibor
The Uromi Justice Development and Peace Caritas Initiative (Uromi JDPCI) of the Catholic Diocese of Uromi has vowed to continue to work to protect human rights, promote justice and advocate for a society where human rights guide governance, security operations and community life in Edo Central Senatorial District.
The Executive Director of Uromi JDPCI, Very Rev. Fr. Dr. Fidelis Arhedo gave the assurance on Tuesday, 9 December in his welcome address at the celebration of the 2025 Human Rights Day at the Chancery of Uromi Catholic Diocese, Egbele, Uromi.
While dwelling on the theme of the 2025 Human Rights Day celebration, “Human Rights, Our Everyday Essentials,” Fr. Arhedo noted that human rights are not some abstract phenomenon, but present in our everyday life.
“As an organisation, Uromi JDPCI remains committed to promoting justice, protecting human dignity, strengthening institutional capacity, and fostering a society where human rights guide governance, security operations,and community life.
“As a Catholic priest, a development worker, and a counselling psychologist, I am profoundly aware that human rights are not theoretical ideals. They speak to the deep spiritual truth that every person is created in the image and likeness of God (Genesis 1:27), and they equally speak to our developmental need for safety, belonging, and social support.”
While enumerating the advantages inherent in respect for human rights, Arhedo appealed for collective efforts in the protection of human rights and the attendant challenges, just as he appreciated the efforts of security agencies, social workers and community leaders and elders in their collaborative efforts with Uromi JDPCI to protect the rights of the people in Edo Central Senatorial District.
“When rights are respected, dignity thrives and communities prosper. When rights are violated, distrust deepens, families suffer, and development is slowed.
“Today presents us with an important opportunity to celebrate progress and also to confront lingering gaps in human rights protection and promotion, including limited access to justice, exploitation, gender-based violence, social exclusion, and pockets of insecurity across communities. These challenges demand collective responsibility from leaders, institutions, and citizens.
“We extend our profound appreciation to the Security Agencies. As the first point of contact between citizens and the state, your conduct shapes public confidence in justice, safety, and protection. We urge you to continue upholding rights – respecting policing, strengthening community relations, and safeguarding the dignity of all persons, in line with the UN Code of Conduct for Law Enforcement Officials (1979).
“We also acknowledge the Departments of Social Development across the five LGAs of Edo Central Senatorial District. You work tirelessly with vulnerable populations; survivors of abuse, widows, persons with disabilities, and children in need of care, individuals who rely daily on the social protection system. Through your service, human rights are translated into practical support, compassion, and safe pathways for healing and empowerment. We therefore appeal to you to deepen interventions for vulnerable groups, advocate for increased LGA funding for legal and social protection, and prioritize prevention and response to gender-based violence, in line with the UN Declaration on the Elimination of Violence Against Women (1993).
“Our gratitude also goes to the National Orientation Agency (NOA). Your mandate of civic education and national value reorientation remains essential. Human rights flourish only where awareness is strong and where citizens understand both their rights and their responsibilities. We encourage you to intensify community enlightenment efforts, counter harmful narratives, and promote social cohesion across communities.
“Finally, we acknowledge Our Community Leaders. As custodians of culture and moral order, you play a vital role in mediating conflict, influencing behaviour, and shaping the values that guide everyday life. Your partnership is indispensable in discouraging harmful practices, protecting the vulnerable, and embedding human rights principles in daily community interactions.”
In a keynote address, the Coordinator, Office of the First Lady of Edo State, Mrs. Edesili Okpebholo-Anani thanked Fr. Arhedo and his team at Uromi JDPCI for their dedication to the protection of human rights, noting that human rights are not distant legal constructs, adding that they’re the essential, everyday foundations of a meaningful and dignified life.
“These rights operate like unseen shields, silently protecting our dignity from the moment we awake. They do not announce themselves, yet they shape our lives more profoundly than we often recognize and that is the purpose of our gathering today.”
While harping on the essence of basic human rights, Anani who was represented by Anne Aiwekhoe (Esq), noted that these rights enhance good governance, integrity and accountability in government.
“Freedom of expression is the live blood of democracy, it is what allows the market woman to challenge a policy affecting her business, the youth activist to demand transparency, the journalist to hold power accountable and the community to raise concerns about security infrastructure or governance. Yet this freedum is not only about public advocacy, but is also woven into our daly interactions.
Think about the neighbour who complains about a broken borehole, the parent who questions a school policy, the young person who uses social media to mobilize community clean-up.
“These actions are possible because people have the right to think, to speak, to listen, and to be heard. Access to information is not a luxury. it is an everyday human right that strengthens peace, participation, and progress.”
Delivery a lecture on the theme of this year’s celebration, the guest speaker, Onomen Oriakhi (Esq) the representative of the Caritas Initiative, Nigeria called on citizens to treat each other with fairness and justice, noting that it is the fundamentals for respect of human rights and urged them to know their rights and respect the rights of others, adding that respect for human rights strengthens humanity.
The guest speaker took participants round what human rights entail, the basic human rights in the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria that are justicable and those rights that are declaratory in the Constitution and not justicable.
High point of the ceremony was the presentation of an Award of Honour to the Executive Director of Uromi JDPCI, Very Rev. Fr. Dr. Fidelis Arhedo by the Edo State chapter of the Medical Women Association of Nigeria (MWAN).
Presenting the award on behalf of the association, the immediate past President of MWAN, Edo State chapter, Dr. (Mrs) Irene Akhideno eulogised Arhedo for his unwavering commitment to the protection of the rights of citizens, especially the widows, the girl child and other vulnerable members of the society.
Participants at the celebration include traditional and community leaders, clergymen, security agencies, members of Uromi JDPCI paralegal officers, state actors from the state and local government councils, media practitioners amongst others.