US Gives $100,000 to NGOs

The United States Embassy yesterday signed an agreement of US$100,000 with seven organisations in Ghana, to assist them to educate the public on human rights and democracy.

The donation was the seventh of its kind in Ghana since the institution of the US Democracy and Human Rights Fund in 1991 by the US Congress.

The fund is designed to assist organisations that protect and advocate for human rights and democratisation throughout Africa.

The U.S. Ambassador, Kathryn Dee Robinson said since its inception the programme has granted $976,650 to various organisations in Ghana. She urged the recipients of this year's donation to make good use of the funds.

The Ambassador called on Ghanaians to be dedicated and work towards freedom and democracy. She observed that the achievement of justice and equity is an enormous task, which cannot be accomplished by the government alone.

The Ghanaian Association for Women's Welfare, an organisation, which has taken the responsibility to defend and enforce the abolishment of the female genital mutilation and other traditional practices, received $12,226 to promote its activities.

The Legal Resources Centre, based in Nima-Maamobi had $20,500. The centre would set up a community based justice centre with the aim of resolving social disputes at the community level and reduce frequency of filing cases at the courts.

The Gender Studies and Human Rights Documentation Centre, an organisation which disseminates information against violence through drama performance and talk shows for discussion at schools also received $24,940 fund, while Women in Broadcasting (WIB), received $11,525 to help them hold programmes in Ghanaian languages on violence against women and children.

US$10, 700 went to the Community Development and Youth Advisory Centre (CODEVAC) which promotes peace and democracy among Moslems and Christians in the north.

Ghana Association of Charted Mediators and Arbitrators (GHACMA), were given $11,000 to render justice and human rights to the people of Ashaiman, while Young People's Experience for Change (YPEC), a centre for training the youth all over the country received $9,109.