CHRAJ sensitizes conflict prone communities in Northern Ghana
The Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) has been organizing a series of training workshops in conflict prone areas of Northern Ghana.
It is to sensitize participants on the place of human rights in conflict prevention and management.
The Participants are being educated to appreciate the connection between human rights and conflict management as basis for ensuring sustainable peace and enduring human security in the Northern, Upper East and West regions.
The workshops are being organized in collaboration with Human Security Project of the United Nations Development Programme.
Such workshops had been held in Yendi and Tamale in the Northern Region already, and after the training it would move to Bawku in the Upper East region.
Mr. Joseph Whittal, Deputy Commissioner of CHRAJ noted that Ghana’s achievements in the areas of rule of law, good governance and human rights were enviable.
He said the Mo Ibrahim Index of African Governance and World Justice Project Rule of Law Index ranked the country among the top ten performing countries in terms of rule of law and first out of 18 African countries in the promotion and protection of human rights.
Despite these achievements, he said the country was bedevilled with long -standing conflicts that threatened human security in Northern Ghana and tended to undermine steady social and economic progress in that part of the country.
He noted that marginalization of individuals and groups, lack of and denial of fundamental rights and freedoms had the potential of triggering conflicts.
The CHRAJ Deputy Commissioner urged the participants to be guided by certain key principles based on respect for the sanctity of life, rejection of impunity, respect for democratic principles, human rights and rule of law.
Dr Ephraim Avea Nsor, the Upper West Regional Minister said the organization of the workshop was timely in view of the numerous land and chieftaincy disputes that were dotted across the three regions which had the potential to bring about human rights violations in conflict communities.
He noted that conflicts destabilized peace and security in the society and it was in line with the government’s determination to pre-empt and wipe conflicts out when they surface that it established the National Peace Council.
He commended CHRAJ for drastically reducing human rights abuses in the region such as wrongfully accusing people of witch craft, child trafficking and some widowhood rites.
Source: GNA