RHFI

                 Right to be Heard and Freedom  Initiative 

Introduction

Right to Be Heard and Freedom  Initiative  RHFI (formerly known as Centre for Environmental Management in Africa CEMA) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan human rights organization based in Abuja Nigeria.

Since its founding in 2003, the organization has focused on protecting the environment which was daily been harmed by deliberate human activities. The organisation was particularly promoting healthy environment which was the major cause of insect related diseases especially malaria that has claimed thousands of lives of women and children. In 2005, It organised one of the most ferocious campaign against dirty environment in Lagos Nigeria tagged ‘Clean up Lagos Campaign’’.

In  recent years the organisation has  turned its attention  to the erosion of human rights in Nigeria. The organisation have observed with worry how many Nigerians are detained for so long without trial, some have even  been reported to have died in detention while waiting for  trial, while others languish indefinitely even beyond the prescribed sentence for their alleged offences. The organisation have also observed the increasing rise in internally displace persons arising from insecurity, community clashes, corruption, politics of exclusion  and flood related issues arising partly (and mostly) from Government inability to take proactive measures to forestall some of these problems.

The work of RHFI is  based on the principle that core human rights protections apply globally and thus benefit every individual by virtue of their humanity. While the organisation would draw its strength from international law and diplomacy to propagate its cause, it equally recognises the potency of  long time change within our local environment. Its slogan is ‘Nigerian situation, Universal value’’.  

 Mission statement;

Right to be Heard and Freedom Initiative RHFI, believes that building respect for human rights and the rule of law will help ensure the dignity to which every individual is entitled and will stem tyranny, extremism, intolerance, and violence.

Origins;

RHFI was formerly CEMA, Centre for Environmental Management in Africa at the University of Lagos Nigeria where the Executive Director,Chidi W Nwachukwu was a student at the Faculty of Law. It was eventually formed in 2004 as a Non Governmental Organisation  to meet some serious environmental challenges facing the city of Lagos and its environs.In 2005 the organization successfully carried out a land mark clean up programme popularly tagged; LAGOS CLEAN UP CAMPAIGN  which was recognized by UNFPA. It’s source of funding was mostly from private donors who saw the importance of the organization’s object. However it soon  realized that more could be done in the area of civil Rights especially among women and children in Kebbi State Nigeria,where again the Executive Director   underwent his compulsory National Youth Service Corps NYSC . He observed  that lots of  people were made to suffer in detention because there were very few lawyers in the state who would rather engage in financially rewarding practice than render pro Bono services to these indigent suspects. The problem was made worse, as there was  no Legal Aid Council in the State at the time, except for lean services being rendered by Corp Lawyers.

Representative Early Work.

Detainees Awaiting Trial.. The first challenge the organization is  addressing is the unjust detaining of  accused without trial. The prisons around the country are filled with people who   have completely resigned to  fate  regarding their freedom. These people are mostly Nigerians whose Right to be treated as innocent until proven guilty have been denied under our constitution These detainees lacked advocates as majority of them in this category are from the mass poor and illiterates. In response, Right to be Heard and Freedom Initiative RHFI is recruiting and training volunteer Lawyers to represent them.

In 2012  Right to be Heard and Freedom Initiatives visited various prisons across Nigeria to check population of inmates especially those awaiting trial . Ultimately releasing a report condemning this massive violations will be the way to go in sensitizing the Government and the populace as well on what to do when they find themselves in such situation. RHFI is leading  a successful nationwide search to recruit and train volunteer lawyers to represent these detainees .It is our  conviction that pro bono representation program for unjust detainees will  grow astronomically and will  lead to  improved treatment of accused .

Failed justice systems. Another component of Right to be Heard and Freedom Initiatives early work has been  on  fact-finding missions in search of the underlying causes of the human rights violations . So far we have uncovered an array of defects in the justice systems , including arbitrary or abusive laws, unlawful practices, co-opted judges, defective trial procedures, secret detentions, and abusive security forces. To bring attention to these problems, Right to be Heard and Freedom  Initiative will begin to publish reports on failed justice systems so as to  put pressure on Nigerian Legislators and international bodies like the UN to hold the government accountable for their actions, and on the governments themselves to change the laws, policies, and practices that lead to these human right abuses.

Business and Human Rights. One of the more controversial chapters in Right to be Heard  and Freedom Initiative  history will begin with  the group looking at the  issue of how to address human rights violations committed not by governments but by non-state actors, such as corporations. The Organisation is working  with bodies like  Manufacturers association of Nigeria MAN,and National Association of Employers to create a system of standards in  ensuring that workers enjoy basic rights, including a safe workplace and fair working hours and compensation. Right to be Heard and Freedom Initiatives  is  lobbying the Nigerian government  to impose conditions on companies doing business in Nigeria, who have scant regard for the rights of their  workers

Crimes Against Humanity.

The organization is building  an international system capable of prosecuting the worst human rights crimes in Nigeria. Faced with terrorism and the government’s insufficient response, Right to be Heard and Freedom Initiatives is working to stop such crimes while they are occurring. The organization is leading a campaign against proliferation of small arms around the country, which has resulted to these unspeakable crimes by various arms group in the recent time. Perhaps a more pragmatic approach is to seek to halt the flow of arms fueling the crimes from China and elsewhere.

Law & Security

Ensuring that Nigeria’s. National security policies and practices reflect core human rights standards remains an important focus of today’s work. The issue of rules of engagement has featured prominently in the recent time, especially in the light of State of Emergency declared in the North East of Nigeria as a result of ferocious insurgency. Right to be Heard and Freedom Initiatives is  working with a coalition comprising 50 retired Nigerian Police chiefs and admirals, including a number of four-star generals and admirals and former heads of the joint chiefs of staff. This unique partnership is based on a shared set of concerns about Nigerian detention and interrogation policies in Nigeria

                                                       OUR STRATEGIES

(a)   Public and Private interest litigation

                               ( b)  Community Mobilization and Public advocacy

                                (c)   Legislative advocacy and Institutional Reform

                                                  MEMBERSHIP

Right to be Heard and Freedom Initiative RHFI  is open for membership to any person who subscribes to its mission and what it stands for

                                         All enquires should be directed to

                                              Administrative secretary

                                 Right to be Heard and Freedom Initiative RHFI

                                   Suit A6 Bobsar Building,Opp KIA Motors Area 11

                                                  Garki,Abuja Nigeria

                                       Tel;08064281323, 07033558255

                                  E-mail.RHFIng@yahoo.com.Ifdlagos@yahoo.ca