By CSN Media
The Church and Society Department, Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria (CSN) urged Nigerians to reclaim their common humanity by urgently addressing the plight of the forgotten internally displaced persons (IDPs) across the country.
Mrs. Ladi Pius Dawa made the call during her presentation, on the topic”The Forgotten Plights of Internally-Displaced Nigerians: Where is Our Common Humanity?” at the 2024 Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Church and Society Department in Abuja.
According to Dawa, Nigeria hosts over 3 million IDPs, mostly in the Northeast region, due to ongoing insurgencies, clashes between herders and farmers, and armed banditry. She emphasized that despite the severity of the crisis, these individuals remain largely forgotten.
Dawa highlighted the dire living conditions in IDP camps, characterized by overcrowding, poor sanitation, inadequate healthcare, and insufficient food supplies. She added that women and children most equally face heightened risks of gender-based violence, child labor, and trafficking.
“The displacement crisis disproportionately affects women and girls, who have become widows, sole breadwinners, and caregivers with limited access to economic opportunities,” Dawa emphasized.
The presentation also addressed the global apathy towards Nigeria’s IDP crisis, stressing that the silence and inaction are damning.
Dawa called on policymakers, humanitarians, civil society actors, and private citizens to extend a helping hand to IDPs, advocating for better government support and policies. She further recommended the provision of basic needs, educational support, skills training, advocacy, awareness, and health services to IDPs.
“Make Provision for Basic Needs: The Church is known for great charities. In the early church, many brought money and property that were sold and the proceeds given to the Apostles to use for the needs of the poor (Acts 4: 32-37). Organizing food drives, clothing donations, and hygiene kits to meet the immediate needs of these persons is important,” Dawa concluded.
The AGM with the theme: “Promoting Catholic Social Teaching as Vehicle for Socio-economic and Political Reorientation in Nigeria,” welcomed diocesan directors and coordinators of all the units under the department. It was designed to equip participants with knowledge and skills to apply Catholic Social Teaching in their areas of influence, towards addressing Nigeria’s socio-economic and political challenges.a
