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Niger Delta Human Development Report - UNDP Nigeria - United ...

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5<br />

6<br />

Social cohesiveness could also be advanced<br />

through the establishment of local development<br />

funds that garner contributions<br />

from various stakeholders, including the<br />

Federal Government and oil companies,<br />

but are managed locally.<br />

Promote environmental sustainability to preserve<br />

the means of people’s sustainable livelihoods.<br />

This report traces the many intricate links<br />

between the environment and sustainable<br />

livelihoods, demonstrating that environmental<br />

degradation and poverty are mutually<br />

reinforcing. This underscores the<br />

urgency of proactive steps to conserve<br />

natural resources, reduce pollution especially<br />

from oil spills and gas flares, and<br />

reach adequate targets for clean air and<br />

water, and soil fertility. There is a need to<br />

raise environmental awareness including<br />

through the provision of information<br />

based on the collection of credible data.<br />

Other necessary steps include instituting<br />

the polluter–pays principle, passing and enforcing<br />

environmental laws, institutionalizing<br />

equitable compensation regimes for<br />

oil and gas-related activities, ensuring environmental<br />

considerations in budgets<br />

across different sectors, and bolstering<br />

existing environmental institutions. Overall,<br />

environmental sustainability should be<br />

mainstreamed in all development activities.<br />

Environmental laws should protect the<br />

rights of citizens, establish mandatory environmental<br />

standards for the oil and gas<br />

business that are not below average global<br />

standards, and provide easier access to judicial<br />

redress when either the government<br />

or businesses violate people’s rights.<br />

Take an integrated approach to HIV&AIDS<br />

Any human development agenda must<br />

factor in the burdens imposed by<br />

HIV&AIDS. The <strong>Niger</strong> <strong>Delta</strong> now has<br />

HIV prevalence rates that are among the<br />

highest in <strong>Niger</strong>ia. Since HIV&AIDS is<br />

much more than a health issue, dealing with<br />

it requires an integrated approach involving<br />

federal, state and local governments, the<br />

NDDC and other government agencies,<br />

the private sector, civil society groups and<br />

international organizations. Strong<br />

7<br />

leadership is needed at all levels to push<br />

for meaningful results. Policies need to<br />

focus not only on the control of the HIV<br />

virus, but also on coping mechanisms for<br />

the large number of infected people in the<br />

region.<br />

Potential strategies include strong advocacy<br />

among top-level policy makers coupled<br />

with public awareness campaigns on the<br />

multidimensional nature of HIV&AIDS,<br />

including in terms of high-risk behaviour.<br />

All forms of gender discrimination should<br />

be discouraged, and people should be<br />

educated on the laws against some risky<br />

traditional practices. Employers should<br />

establish work-place policies on<br />

HIV&AIDS, and oil companies should<br />

integrate HIV&AIDS assistance into their<br />

social responsibility and community<br />

development activities.<br />

State and local governments and the<br />

NDDC should institutionalize their<br />

responses to HIV&AIDS. Governments,<br />

oil companies, other private sector<br />

enterprises, NGOs and donors should<br />

collectively improve the quality and<br />

accessibility of health care and HIV&AIDS<br />

facilities and equipment.<br />

Build sustainable partnerships for the advancement<br />

of human development.<br />

The development of the <strong>Niger</strong> <strong>Delta</strong> region<br />

cannot be the responsibility of any<br />

one level of government alone. While the<br />

Federal Government can take the lead on<br />

overarching issues influencing development<br />

in the region, it has to work with many<br />

stakeholders and partners if change is going<br />

to be sustainable and meaningful.<br />

The different levels and branches of government<br />

should form partnerships around<br />

plans for sustainable development and the<br />

attainment of the MDGs; accountability<br />

and transparency in the use of available<br />

resources; the creation and sustenance of<br />

the right environment for meaningful development;<br />

the promotion of investment;<br />

social inclusion and popular participation<br />

in decision-making; broad-based consultations<br />

for peace-building; the deliberate<br />

empowerment of women and youth<br />

groups; and resource mobilization for de-<br />

Environmental<br />

sustainability<br />

should be<br />

mainstreamed in<br />

all development<br />

activities.<br />

Public awareness<br />

campaigns should<br />

recognize that<br />

HIV&AIDS is much<br />

more than a health<br />

issue.<br />

NIGER DELTA HUMAN DEVELOPMENT REPORT 7

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