Ezinwanne Roseline Raymond from Nigeria is part of the M. A. programme in Human Rights.
The international component can be beneficial for any sphere of life but it becomes especially crucial when we start talking about human rights. No other domain needs a diversity of opinions more than the field of human rights. Only by cooperation can we understand the needs and problems of others, improve ourselves and our worldview, help one another, and secure a sustainable development. That’s why we continue to get to know the students of the M. A. programme in Human Rights at the FAU and our next guest is Ezinwanne Roseline Raymond, a student from Nigeria who started her studies in the WS 2015/16.
Hi, Ezinwanne. How did you get interested in the field of human rights and why did you decide to join the M.A. programme in Human Rights at the FAU?
Ezinwanne: My interest in human rights was born while working for one law firm which prosecuted rights abuse cases. I was astonished to reveal how many violations were happening in Nigeria and the difficulties the victims face in gaining redress for such violations, as well as how strong was the intricate tension between human rights and culture in the Nigerian society. The more cases I handled, the quicker I reached the limits of my knowledge; up to the moment when the need for additional knowledge and learning became pertinent. I started searching for a degree programme in human rights first in my country but, unfortunately, there was no university offering such a Master’s programme. Then, my search went international and I found the FAU Erlangen-Nürnberg. The modules for the programme fitted my career plan perfectly, so basically that’s why I’m here.
What is your personal understanding of human rights?
Ezinwanne: In the simplest form, I would say that human rights are rights accruing to every person and secured by the law to guarantee self-determination. To me, human rights are a living organism that co-exists with and for human beings. Politically speaking, human rights emerge from experiences of injustice and suffering. So far, human rights have attained international breakthrough and recognition with a number of states ratifying and domesticating a significant number of treaties protecting human rights. This was not conceivable some decades ago. However, as laudable as the subject is, I see human rights as a maze race – a structure of rights on a foundation as unpredictable as humans, especially with almost no clear scope, that might become very fluidal and fragile or even lose its essence. The blurriness of what human rights covers is an unresolved problem spreading into other aspects of society. It is, therefore, very important to universally and precisely define a certain scope of human rights concepts.
Are the policies regarding human rights different in Germany and in your home country?
Ezinwanne: Well, not all policies regarding human rights in Germany are much different from Nigeria. So far, Nigeria has ratified quite a number of international treaties such as the Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, Convention on the Rights of the Child, domesticating most of them into the national law like the Child Rights Act. The Nigerian constitution from the year 2011 secures the fundamental rights of Nigerians in its sections 36-45. The Nigerian courts through their procedural rules also provide for a fast track procedure for the litigation of cases bordering on human rights violation. As far as I know, there is also a human rights desk in our police stations to handle such violations both within the station and outside. This is commendable but not enough. Institutionally, unlike Germany, human rights policies have not taken its roots in practice in Nigeria. We have not yet reached the stage where, like in the spiral model, human rights practice becomes a consistent behaviour. There are a number of institutions in Nigeria—such as the National Human Rights Commission, the Public Complaints Commission—that handle cases of human rights abuses. These commissions have not gone so far in making recommendations to the government on human rights issues and obtaining redress for victims, which, in my opinion, should be changed in the nearest future.
As we already know, most of the students at the programme have some previous practical experience in the field of human rights. Could you tell more about your personal experience?
Ezinwanne: After getting my law degree, I went to the Nigerian Law School where we had a compulsory placement at states courts and law firms. That was my first field experience. Afterwards, I took a three months training in dispute resolution, where I learnt about various dispute patterns and gained working knowledge of how to settle such disputes at the national and international levels. In 2015, I began working as a legal practitioner at Y. O. Kadiri & Associate, where I handled cases on rights abuses. I was also a volunteer lawyer and a member of a non-governmental organisation – Committee for the Defence of Human Rights. As a volunteer lawyer at this organisation, I prosecuted most of the human rights cases reported, especially those concerning gender related violations, torture, and degrading treatment of people. I also actively participated, sometimes as a speaker, in the enlightenment campaigns, public lectures, and other media projects undertaken by this NGO. Earlier this year, I took up a paid internship concerning child protection and the rights of the child, during which I was a part of the drafting committee for the Lagos State Child Protection Policy organized by the Ministry of Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation in Nigeria. With this considerable exposure, I find myself being more critical about contemporary issues on government policies and actions, especially with regard to their development in my home country, Nigeria, and Africa as a whole.
What are your plans after graduation?
Ezinwanne: During my studies I expect to receive a significant exposure to human rights issues that will later on create a hybrid platform for me to initiate my long term career goal, i.e. creating a human rights institute for capacity building of the younger generations in my home country.
What do you think, who should join this programme and why?
Ezinwanne: I strongly believe human rights to be an interdisciplinary subject. By this I mean that every discipline must include some part of human rights theory, as this knowledge can be successfully implemented in any sphere of our everyday life. Therefore, this course is recommended for everyone regardless their field of expertise.
At the same time, no one with a craving to make a change in the government and politics either on the national or the international level should miss this course!
Thank you very much for the interview and good luck in your future work!