— As World Marks Human Rights Day, Groups Warn Against Slow Progress, Call for Integrated Action
As the world commemorates Human Rights Day on December 10, two frontline civil society groups—the Campaign for Democracy (CD) and the Conference of Nigeria Civil Rights Activists (CNCRA)—have urged the Ondo State Government to adopt a unified, whole-systems strategy that links human rights protection with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The call was made in a joint press briefing led by the CD President, Pastor Ifianyi Odili, who said this year’s theme, “Human Rights: Our Everyday Essentials,” aligns with the global push to strengthen the connection between basic rights and community-level development.
Odili described human rights not as abstract ideals but as the practical foundation for a sustainable future.
He noted that the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) served as a moral compass for global dignity, while the SDGs—adopted in 2015—now provide an actionable roadmap for turning those rights into measurable improvements in people’s daily lives.
He emphasized the need for credible global implementation partners and recommended the strengthening of the OECD 2030 Pact as the global review platform, while calling for international support for IVASNS (Integrated Visions for Achieving SDGs in All North and South Countries), available at www.ivasns.org, to serve as an apex implementation framework for accelerating SDG progress.
According to him, each SDG corresponds directly to a human right: health (SDG 3), education (SDG 4), water and housing (SDGs 6 & 11), equality and justice (SDGs 5, 10 & 16), and environmental protection (SDGs 13–15), with SDG 17 emphasizing partnerships as the engine for achieving them.
Odili stated that Nigeria has achieved only about 15% of its SDG targets from 2015 to 2024, with Ondo State also grappling with persistent issues such as gender-based violence, slow enforcement of the VAPP Law 2021, weak prosecution processes, and severe food insecurity undermining SDG 2 (Zero Hunger).
The Campaign for Democracy noted that these issues require coordinated solutions and urged the state to adopt Whole Systems Thinking—which recognizes how poverty, environmental degradation, gender inequality, and weak governance reinforce each other.
Odili highlighted the IVASNS model of “Doing More With Less” as a practical approach for resource-constrained communities.
He said the system focuses on designing locally adaptable, regenerative solutions that stretch limited resources to deliver more food, energy, shelter, and public services with minimal waste.
He added that the framework and methodology can be found at www.ivasns.org, https://www.ivasns.org which provides tools for governments, LGAs, civil society, and development partners.
He also called for scaling up renewable energy access, strengthening GBV response systems, expanding food production and nutrition interventions, and adopting regenerative development models that restore ecosystems while improving livelihoods.
Odili urged the Ondo State Government, local councils, traditional institutions, and civil society groups to embed these principles across all 18 Local Government Areas.
“This is not aspirational—it is our collective responsibility,” he said. “Let us make human rights real, not rhetorical, in every community in Ondo State.”
He concluded with a call to action:
“For further documentation, resources, and implementation pathways, stakeholders can visit www.ivasns.org. On this Human Rights Day, let us commit to a future where every individual can thrive—socially, economically, and environmentally.”
