The Human Rights Reporters Ghana (HRRG), a vibrant Ghanaian advocacy group with a global reach as part of its annual celebrations commemorates the 2022 World Human Rights Day which falls on today December 10 with a call on government to rise up to the occasion and holistically address issues of human rights in the country
In seeking to address the issues of human right violations to bring the country closer to achieving the UN sustainable Development Goals and Agenda 2063 has over the years put mechanistic approaches in place such as educating the general public about the importance of Human Rights as well as bringing up to speed advocacy initiatives needed to deal with the increasing violations of human rights in the country which requires immediate attention.
The theme for this year’s commemoration of Human Rights Day: “Dignity, Freedom and Justice for all”, resonates with our mandate at the Human Rights Reporters Ghana, an NGO which seeks to end human rights violations in the country at all cost to ensure everyone’s rights are respected, protected and fulfilled.
We believe the right to life, education, freedom of speech and movement, rights to own property, rights to belong to a family and a nationality among others ought to be respected. These rights mean choice and opportunity for all and are therefore prerequisite to a sustainable life.
It is however very vital for us to note that these fundamental rights are indivisible, interconnected and interdependent. That is when one right is not respected, it affects the others. For instance, violation on the rights to adequate housing triggers the violation of the rights to rest, to education, work and so on. These are economic, social and cultural rights that we uphold and hold dear to our heart
Looking at the current economic situation of our beloved country Ghana, the right to life which includes having your basic needs met like food, clothing, shelter as well as the right to own property and have a family are curtailed due to the economic crisis in the country. Many individuals are not able to further their education due to the increased tuition fees, denying them the right to education.
Currently prices of goods and services have skyrocketed denying the ordinary Ghanaian the rights to own their own property, basic necessities like water, food and healthcare among others. Since human rights are interconnected and indivisible, denial of Ghanaians these rights affects others as well, making the individual not well adjusted in the environment.
On this special day which marks the International Human Rights Day 2022, we are calling on the government of Ghana to put proper measures in place to help restore the economy back to its normal state so that the ordinary Ghanaian will live a meaningful and a well sustained life.
Moreover, we call on the Ghana Education Service and the Ghana Police Service to investigate incidents of gross abuse and brute canning of some former students of the Annor Adjaye Senior High School located at the Jomoro Municipality of the Western Region and the Agogo State College located in the Asante Akim North District of the Ashanti Region.
These students were brutally canned by some teachers living visible marks and blood stains on vital parts of their bodies, an act which goes contrary to the Ghana Education Service ban on corporal punishment in schools.
We believe the actions of the teachers who inflicted cane wounds on students are uncalled for and criminal therefore needs to be condemned by the GES, investigated and if found culpable, the appropriate sanctions should be meted out to the culprits without delay.
Again, as we celebrate this day of freedom, dignity and justice for all, we appreciate the efforts of the founding fathers who have brought to bear the importance of our Fundamental Human Rights and hold them in high esteem.
“To deny people their human right is to challenge their very humanity”-Nelson Mandela
Source : Joseph Wemakor
