SIAF’s UNFPA ICPD25 Commitments in commemoration of the first Anniversary of the ICPD25 Nairobi Summit.
Today (November 12th 2020), as we mark the first anniversary of the Nairobi summit of the #ICPD25 and stand with UNFPA, one of our Distinguished Trustees HE Toyin Ojora Saraki made a brief statement at the virtual meeting summarizing our progress thus far on our commitment;
“As a Trustee of SIAF Nigeria which has as its core mission, a dual vision of ending the atrocities of rogue Police units (SARS et al) as well as the culture of impunity within security institutions in Nigeria and an ambitious agenda of a holistic Police Reform. I am pleased to report that despite the recent tragic challenges across the nation, Social Intervention Advocacy Foundation — SIAF has been appointed to the Judicial Panel of Inquiry, and proceeds with its aim to reform and improve the quality and coverage of community & intelligence led policing nationally and sub-nationally. The Police should be the best and most trusted friend of every Nigerian citizen, in safeguarding lives and property. SIAF’s actions have provided a working SGBV referral intervention service with like-minded organizations and the Police Force across Nigeria, and work continues to improve access to training for day-to-day policing and SARC services in alignment with SIAF ICPD25 Commitments.”
The examination and keen observation of great countries gifted with less than our kind of youth population reveal how engagement and investment in same have secured the future of generations sustainably. But that is not the story of Nigeria. Our youth are always misunderstood and always victims of the system, if not prey of the weaponization of poverty and police brutality as it contributes to harmful cultural practices that impact women and children (the vulnerable in society).
This was why we had to re-examine advocacy as against the pedestrian perception of activism in our sociopolitical space at Social Intervention Advocacy Foundation —SIAF.
In 2016 we began examining how to sustainably bridge institutional gaps deploying innovative interventions towards engaging leaders and the people, while finding common grounds which led to the establishment of the #EndSARS #ReformPoliceNG Advocacy as led by the founder.
The strategic approach was neither a happenstance nor an accident. It was deliberately curated with the aim to establish the much-needed partnerships between the key security agencies, the academia and industry practitioners for research-based solutions. We advocated for operational and governance models to be developed — to put a stop to extrajudicial killings of young people.
Since then, some best practices have been adopted and shared, as well as SIAF joining a national security cooperation cum collaboration in support of peace and stability while strengthening our security institutions.
This is one of several journeys towards sustainable development which cannot be achieved without the future of Nigeria (our youth), whose energy is required in alignment with the wisdom of godly, experienced, ethical and patriotic elders living an exemplary life in society as role models.
The work continues as we liaise with national government security agencies and facilitate the improvement of operational standards and good governance, and help to maintain a peaceful and tranquil society via effective monitoring of policies while winning public trust. The efficiency of this requires cum mandates stakeholders to know that they must constantly undertake methodical studies of endemic and emergent problems in the principles and practices of law enforcement policing, intelligence operations, maintaining homeland security, trans-national security and trafficking, corruption and the criminal justice system and promotion of science and technology. Reformation in correctional services and forensic sciences, being an integral part of the justice system, which we believe must also be researched thoroughly.
Though the campaign was simplified without being simplistic as ably led, it was focused on the main objective of ending the killings as spear headed by the various silos cum tactical units in the Police —thus the hashtag #EndSARS which stands for putting an end to the culture of impunity. While the end goal was to facilitate, via legislation, the holistic overhaul of the police structure through a sustainable Reform.
It is interesting to note here that Nigeria Police have the highest silos in Africa with 21 MDAs extracted from its operations without much difference as per the impact and engagement of maintaining law and order in our society.
The practical and proof of theory of SIAF is no doubt one of the most potent example one can give as an illustration of citizens action and government response towards bridging institutional gaps on a national scale for the creation of an integrated society, connected by ideas and the common ground of leaving a sustainable legacy for all our children and generations unborn.
In the nearest future, the stories that would be told will not just be about the protagonists in the plot to creating a sane and globally aligned criminal justice system, but more about the sustainable institutions built that can monitor and evaluate the implementation of all recommended policies as enshrined in the law thus passed as facilitated by active citizens and the political will of Nigerians galvanized using technology.
This is scalable and can be adopted across spectrum to sanitize the age-long constructs and concepts that no longer mirror our society in the here and the now. We believe that by 2030 we will have a nation where peace and justice shall reign.
‘Segun Awosanya
President/Founder. Social Intervention Advocacy Foundation (SIAF)
