‘Make human rights awards national policy’

Two human rights advocates have asked the government to make the award of those who defend human rights a national policy.

The two are the acting Commissioner of the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), Ms Anna Bossman and the acting British High Commissioner, Mr Matthew Johnson.

They raised this issue in Accra at the first "Human -Rights Defenders' Awards", initiated by CHRAJ with the support of the British High Commission.

Ms Bossman in her remarks, said, "as a nation we need to ensure that we recognise and institutionalise awarding the work of rights activists and defenders," while Mr Johnson was of the view that doing that would raise the level of ambition for the promotion and protection of human rights in Ghana and beyond its borders.

The awards night was programmed to focus primarily on the award winners.

Four defenders of human rights, Ms Betty Ayagibah, the founder of the Widows and Orphans Movement (WOM), Mrs. Ethel Mac-Harrison, the founder of the Women in the Lord's Vineyard (WITLOV), Rev Father Andrew Campbell, who founded the Lepers Aid Committee and Mr Solomon Jojo Cobbinnah, a human rights reporter with TV3, received plaques for their commitment in the defence of the rights of people, particularly the vulnerable.

The maiden programme had in attendance Justice Stephen Brobbey, a judge of the Supreme Court; the Metropolitan Arch Bishop of Accra, Rev. Palmer Buckle; a former first Lady and wife of the late Dr Hilla Liman, Mrs. Fulera Liman; the Executive Director of the Justice and Human Rights Centre (JHRC), Prof. Kenneth Attafuah among others.

In the citation that accompanied Ms Ayagibah's award, CHRAJ mentioned her selfless and outstanding contribution in protecting orphans and widows, and empowering them economically, socially and spiritually through her organisation which was established in 1993 and is currently in the Upper East, Upper West, Northern, Volta, Ashanti and the Greater Accra regions.

CHRAJ recognised Mrs. Mac-Harrison's commitment and efforts in liberating several women from "Trokosi" shrines in the Volta Region and going further to ensure that women and children freed were empowered by establishing three schools in shrine areas for children as well as training the women.

For Rev. Father Campbell, CHRAJ said his efforts at not only raising funds for cured lepers, but also sensitising the public to the need to desist from discrimination and prejudices were commendable.

Mr Cobbina according to CHRAJ, had excelled in endeavouring and committing to investigate and report on human rights issues, including a defective lift at the Maternity Block of the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, a camp for alleged witches in Northern Ghana, that is, the Gnani Witch Camp, a blind woman with her two blind boys who were begging at the Kwame Nkrumah Circle and the abuse of people at prayer camps.

Receiving the award, all the award winners were overwhelmed and lost for words. They all thanked God and dedicated the award to those who had supported them.

The keynote speaker, the Minister of Women's and Children's Affairs (MOWAC), Mrs. Juliana Azumah, asked the award winners to recruit others like themselves to champion human rights and liaise with the ministry for impetus in the defence of the rights of all against abuse.