Human Rights and Advocacy Training in Ghana

Participants in the workshop in Sunyani, Ghana

 While most of our governments are being criticised for their inconsistencies in promoting and encouraging human rights and eco-justice in our respective states, I’m certainly convinced that you and I have the potential to do something, even at the lowest level.

Recently, Edmund Rice International conducted a three-day workshop in Shunyani in Ghana. The workshop involved more than thirty participants from different institutions of both the Christian Brothers and Presentation Brothers from northern Ghana.

The workshop was a means of transformation for each of us as we explored the different, yet complementary nature of charity and justice responses to  the injustice we see around us. From the beginning, we became more aware of the need of advocacy for human rights and eco-justice in our institutions, networks and the entire world.

We were deeply touched by each participant’s story of human rights violations in our various situations in spite of a country’s existing laws which on papers seem to be effective but in practice are not at all! We therefore asked ourselves; who actually is responsible for ensuring human rights? We came to the realisation that while we are all responsible and all have a duty to respect the rights of one another, our governments bear a particular responsibility.

It was also helpful to learn about the United Nations and its structure, Treaty Bodies and their functions, and the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) not forgetting the background to the establishment and work of ERI itself.

Towards the end of the workshop we were given the opportunity to draft action plans on what we would like to do after the workshop. The workshop is over but we carry with us the skills and competencies that will enable us to be the voice for the voiceless as well as advocates of eco-justice. I’m confident that the seed of knowledge from this workshop will soon be sprouting.

Thanks to Emmanuel Imoru fpm who organised the workshop, Brian Bond who facilitated it and Misean cara who provided the funding.

– Lawrence Agalo cfc, Tamale, Ghana