A two-day workshop on Ghana’s mid-term United Nations (UN) Universal Periodic Review (UPR) aimed at ensuring and strengthening human rights of member states ended in Accra on Tuesday.
It brought together stakeholders from the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, the POS Foundation, foreign missions and civil society organisations (CSOs) to develop a mid-term report to be shared with the UN.
The report ensures implementation of the recommendations of a number of human rights issues Ghana received from member states, such as ensuring the rights of marginalised groups, press freedom, the rights of women and children, disability, access to justice, and repeal of the death penalty.
Ghana had gone through the UPR review for the fourth cycle and received 298 recommendations out of which it accepted 265 recommendations.
Mrs Mercy Larbi, Deputy Commissioner of CHRAJ said Ghana’s engagement in the UPR process is a cornerstone of its commitment to promoting and protecting human rights.
She said it highlights the nation’s dedication to upholding human rights standards and obligations.
Moreover, Mrs Larbi stated that the workshop is an opportunity to deliberate, strategise and collectively chart a more effective path forward for the full realisation of human rights in Ghana.
“These deliberations should be approached with a spirit of constructive dialogue and a shared commitment to human dignity and rights,” she mentioned.
Mr William Nyarko, Executive Director, Africa Centre for International Law and Accountability (ACILA), explained that the reintroduced Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill would suffer the fate of article 108 of the Constitution, 1992 because a private member’s bill should not impose a cost on the state per Article 108.
Mr Jonathan Owusu, the Executive Director of the POS Foundation, told The Ghanaian Times in an interview that Ghana made strides in some aspects of the human rights of its citizens, more could be achieved to make Ghana a safer place for everyone.
He said that he was concerned at the attacks on journalists in ways unspeakable of our democracy.
For her part, Ms Patience Ampomah, Advocacy and Communications Lead –
Planned Parenthood Association of Ghana (PPAG), said although access to quality sexual and reproductive health services including family planning, reproductive health education, and maternal health care is a fundamental human right, many women, girls, and young people still face barriers that limit their ability to make informed choices about their bodies and their futures
BY MALIK SULLEMANA
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