The Human Rights Journalists Network Nigeria has announced a global knowledge exchange initiative dialogue series aimed at adapting lessons from Taiwan’s democratic transformation to strengthen Nigeria’s governance and human rights frameworks.
Titled “Learning From Taiwan: A Democratic and Human Rights Blueprint for Nigeria”, the initiative was launched in partnership with the Taiwan Foundation for Democracy and co-hosted by ChatVE.
According to HRJN, the learning series aims to foster cross-regional knowledge exchange on democratic consolidation and human rights protection, drawing inspiration from conversations at RightsCon 2025.
The program features two virtual webinars scheduled for August 28 and September 4, 2025, and will culminate in a one-day in-person conference in Lagos in September 2025.
These sessions will bring together leading voices from civil society, academia, media, and policy to discuss critical themes, including human rights protection, strengthening judicial systems, government structure, addressing corruption, fostering citizen engagement, and advancing media freedom.
Kehinde Adegboyega, Executive Director of HRJN, said the dialogue presents an opportunity to learn from Taiwan’s democratic transformation.
“This dialogue is an opportunity to draw lessons from Taiwan’s democratic transformation from an authoritarian system and adapt them to strengthen Nigeria’s democratic system while addressing global trends in human rights and governance,” Adegboyega said.
Confirmed speakers include Malka Older, Executive Director of Global Voices; Suraj Olunifesi, Professor of Mass Communication at the University of Lagos; Philip Olayoku of The West African Transitional Justice Centre; Shihfen Peng from the Taiwan Foundation for Democracy; M. Hafiz Nabiyyin of SAFEnet; and Habib Sheidu of AdvoKC Foundation.
Other distinguished leaders from across the Global North and South are also expected to participate in the sessions.
The webinars are scheduled from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM (UTC +01:00) and will be conducted via Microsoft Teams, with registration available at bit.ly/45kPZp3.
The initiative is supported by the Taiwan Foundation for Democracy, with Access Now, AdvoKC Foundation, and Trully Verify Africa as strategic partners.
BONews Service serves as the media partner for the initiative.
The program represents an effort to examine how democratic transitions and human rights frameworks from other regions can be adapted to strengthen Nigeria’s democratic institutions and governance systems.