New partnership targets tech-driven rights violations, pre-trial detention, and justice gaps through collaboration between civil society and human rights regulators
By A1NEWS International
ABUJA, Nigeria — August 19, 2026
Hope Behind Bars Africa and the National Human Rights Commission, NHRC, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to deepen access to justice in Nigeria, with a flagship plan to launch a “Justice-Tech Node” aimed at tackling technology-driven human rights violations.
The agreement, described as a milestone by both parties, seeks to merge institutional mandate with grassroots experience to address evolving threats in Nigeria’s justice, civic and digital spaces, including digital surveillance, online harassment, and unlawful restrictions on digital expression.
Bridging the Gap Between Law and Technology
Speaking at the signing, Hope Behind Bars Africa said the partnership is a direct response to the rapid changes in how Nigerians interact with the justice system.
“Technology is rapidly changing the way Nigerians interact with the justice system,” the organisation stated. “It is creating new opportunities for access to information, legal assistance and accountability, but it is also creating new forms of harm.”
The group identified rising cases of digital surveillance, technology-facilitated abuse, misuse of emerging technologies, and online harassment as areas now impacting fundamental rights.
However, it noted that current responses remain fragmented. “Lawyers may not always understand the technology. Technologists may not understand the legal and human rights implications of the systems they build,” the statement read.
What the Justice-Tech Node Will Do
The Justice-Tech Node is designed as a collaborative platform to bring together justice institutions, civil society organisations, lawyers, technologists, researchers and innovators.
Its mandate includes:
– Research and knowledge exchange* on technology-enabled harms
– Capacity building and referrals* for victims of digital rights abuses
– Innovation and practical interventions* around emerging digital justice issues
– Evidence-based advocacy* to guide policy and institutional response
“We want the Node to help ensure that the development and deployment of technology in Nigeria is grounded in human rights, accountability and access to justice,” Hope Behind Bars Africa said.
The organisation hopes the Node becomes a meeting point “where a lawyer can find a technologist, where a technologist can find the human rights expertise needed to build responsibly.”
Focus on Pre-Trial Detainees and Civic Space
Beyond digital issues, the MoU also commits both parties to strengthen interventions for people within the criminal justice system, with emphasis on pre-trial detainees.
Planned actions include improved referrals, custodial monitoring, and advocacy to close Nigeria’s justice gap.
The partnership will also address Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation, SLAPPs, and other threats to civic space where law, technology and public participation intersect.
“For Hope Behind Bars Africa, this MoU is not simply an agreement between two organisations. It is a commitment to building stronger systems of protection and accountability,” the group said.
NHRC Welcomes Civil Society Collaboration
Hope Behind Bars Africa expressed appreciation to the NHRC for its openness to collaboration and for recognising the role of civil society in institutional human rights work.
Both organisations said the partnership is urgent because “the justice system cannot remain static while the nature of harm continues to evolve.”
With the launch of the Justice-Tech Node, the NHRC and Hope Behind Bars Africa are positioning Nigeria to anticipate and respond to human rights challenges at the intersection of technology and justice.
Stakeholders say the success of the initiative will depend on sustained funding, multi-sector participation, and the ability to translate research into practical protection for vulnerable Nigerians.
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