Youth Take the Lead as Campus Rights Campaign Sparks Demand for Justice and Accountability

Social Action takes the “Know Your Rights, Know Your Power” campaign to Asaba, the capital city of Delta State, building on the momentum of similar student-focused human rights engagements organised by the organisation across campuses in the past year.The latest edition of the awareness drive brought students from different tertiary institutions in the state to Federal College of Education (Technical), Asaba, where participants were engaged on the importance of human rights knowledge as a practical tool for personal safety, civic responsibility and active citizenship.

The campus outreach forms part of Social Action’s broader commitment to strengthening youth participation in human rights protection and democratic processes, following previous Know Your Rights, Know Your Power campaigns implemented by Social Action – Social Development Integrated Centre in other locations in 2025.

A key session was led by Patience Ovuezirie Chijindu, Deputy State Coordinator of the National Human Rights Commission, Delta State Office. She explained that human rights are fundamental freedoms to which all persons are entitled, stressing that the rights are universal, inalienable and indivisible.Chijindu highlighted core protections such as the right to personal liberty, the right to fair hearing, the right to private and family life, and freedom from discrimination. She further noted that the responsibility to respect, protect and fulfil these rights rests primarily with government and its institutions.

Addressing emerging concerns among young people, she drew attention to the growing problem of digital abuse and online violence, particularly as it relates to privacy and personal safety. She encouraged students to document violations, preserve evidence and use lawful advocacy channels to challenge abuses and demand accountability.

Reinforcing the message of the campaign, the programme focal person, Augustina Obioma, reminded participants that knowledge of rights remains a powerful tool for protection and social change, noting that informed students are better equipped to recognise violations and pursue appropriate remedies.

Reacting to the engagement, a student of Dennis Osadebe University, Eze Godwill, said the session had strengthened his understanding of how to identify human rights violations and seek redress through lawful means.

The highlight of the programme was a campus-wide awareness walk, during which students and facilitators moved round the institution to share human rights messages and encourage young people to remain informed, proactive and united in defending their freedoms.

The Asaba campus engagement was implemented in collaboration with Rosa Luxemburg Foundation, with support from the European Union.