UN Human Rights Council adopts Universal Periodic Review outcomes of Ghana
UN Human Rights Council has adopted Universal Periodic Review Outcomes of Ghana Ghana said it had received 298 recommendations, which were extensively examined, and the Government supported 261, partially supported three and noted 34 of them.
The key issues in the recommendations included the ratification of key human rights conventions; the protection of women and girls; the protection of children’s rights geared towards ending child marriage; anti-corruption measures; the protection of journalists and media organizations; the protection of human rights defenders; the prevention of trafficking; the right to health; the right to education; and the rights of persons living with disabilities. Ghana supported almost all of them and they were at varying degrees of implementation. The drafting of the prisons service bill was underway and the community service sentencing bill had been developed in an effort to decongest prisons.
The major challenge in implementing these programmes was a lack of funding. On the issue of human trafficking, the human trafficking act of 2005, which was currently in operation, was enacted to prevent, reduce, rehabilitate and reintegrate trafficked persons.
Ghana received about 30 recommendations on the abolition of the death penalty, which the country supported. Currently there was still a moratorium on carrying out the death penalty, whilst the laborious process of amending the Constitution to enable the abolition was underway. Ghana received questions on lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex issues and concerns regarding violence against this community. Ghana noted these recommendations. Ghana’s views on the recommendations were discussed with all major stakeholders to ensure their implementation.
Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice said it was impressed with the progress Ghana had made in respect to its human rights obligations. However, there were some issues which could be improved upon. Ghana needed to ratify the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography, and to ensure that child marriages and witchcraft accusations were eradicated.
In the discussion, some speakers commended Ghana for accepting a large majority of the recommendations that were put forward, demonstrating Ghana’s ongoing commitment toward the promotion and protection of the human rights of its people in a manner that best suited the national context. Such an approach would translate to tangible impact on the ground. Speakers also welcomed the progress of Ghana in protecting human rights, including the adoption of the strategic plan on domestic violence and victim support, the adoption of child protection policies, as well as the initiatives undertaken to support the most vulnerable against poverty. The adoption of the right to information act of 2019 by Ghana and the establishment of the Right to Information Commission were also noted.
Ghana’s engagement with the Universal Periodic Review process was appreciated, and it should continue with the implementation of the recommendations, some speakers said. The work on the rights of the child, including the implementation of the national action plan, should continue. Well-planned, participatory urbanization could be used as a driving force towards human rights-based and gender responsive cities for all. The efforts of the Ghanaian authorities to accelerate the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals were welcomed by speakers. Ghana’s efforts to use sustainable urban development as one of its tools towards ensuring that no one was left behind were applauded.
One speaker said there were concerns over the persistence of the harmful practice of witchcraft accusations in Ghana; individuals accused, predominantly women, especially older women, widows, women with disabilities, and mothers of children with albinism, faced stigmatization, various forms of violence, mutilation, and sometimes homicides, and were often driven violently from their communities and forced to seek refuge in designated “witch camps.” Another speaker regretted that Ghana had taken an inconsistent approach to the sexual and reproductive health and rights-related recommendations it received during the review. There was also concern for the reluctance to accept recommendations that directly or indirectly pertained to the rights of sexual and gender minorities in Ghana, as seen with the recommendation received on ensuring the elimination of discrimination, intimidation, and violence against key populations as part of the country’s HIV/AIDS response.
The Vice-President said that out of the 298 recommendations received, 265 enjoyed the support of Ghana, and 30 were noted. Additional clarification was provided on another three recommendations, indicating which parts of the recommendations were supported and which parts were noted.
Ghana said the review had provided the opportunity to have an overview of the human rights situation in the country and to determine where priorities should lie. It also provided the inter-ministerial collaboration needed to address pressing human rights concerns in Ghana. The Government of Ghana pledged to report on the steps taken on the various recommendations to the Human Rights Council and to continue engaging with relevant stakeholders, including civil society organizations. Today’s interaction had been very fruitful and Ghana was committed to consider all comments and observations in the implementation process, including recommendations from civil society. Ghana looked forward to a robust engagement with all stakeholders and the national follow-up process to better enhance the country’s human rights framework. The Council then adopted the Universal Periodic Review outcome of Ghana.
