Since its establishment the Commission has demonstrated an expansive capacity to tackle issues of human rights through various activities, ranging from public enlightenment and education, investigation of complaints, mediation and conciliation, conflict resolution, peace building, research advocacy and training programmes on contemporary issues in the field of human rights. These were given effect through an effective complaint treatment mechanism, regular hosting of enlightenment seminars, workshops, rallies and continuous reengineering of strategies which culminated in the National Action Plan (NAP) for the promotion and protection of human rights. The NAP has been deposited with the office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNHCHR) as a benchmark for assessing Nigeria's human rights records, as well as government's commitment towards the promotion and protection of human right.
The Commission, realizing that human rights campaign cannot be achieved solely through the development of protective laws or establishment of mechanisms to implement those laws, engages in series of educational and public enlightenment programmes to raise public awareness on human rights issues. The Commission regularly holds workshops, seminars, conferences and interactive sessions with relevant stakeholders. The Commission has also engaged in continuous media advocacy and periodic publications aimed at disseminating appropriate human rights messages. Sensitization, education and enlightenment programmes have also been carried out by the Commission in collaboration with NGOs and CBOs, to raise awareness on human rights throughout the country. Village Square meetings are also held across the country to discuss the mandate of the Commission and other issues of relevance to specific local environments.
A robust and effective complaint treatment mechanism has been put in place at the Headquarters and all the six Zonal Offices to handle all complaints of human rights violations. Additional offices are now being established to increase access to the Commission's complaint-treatment mechanism. All victims of human rights violations can therefore access the services of the Commission free of charge, at any of the Commission's offices.
There has been a high level of compliance with the decisions of the commission by alleged violators of human rights since its establishment in 1995. The NHRC (Amendment) Act, 2010 has however conferred on the commission express powers to enforce her decisions. Under this provision, decisions of the commission's Governing Council are registrable as decisions of the High Court.
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