EU champions UN Human Rights Day in Ghana

Mr William Hanna, the European Union Ambassador to Ghana, will on Thursday December 10 address Ghanaians on the Union’s agenda for Human Rights to commemorate the UN Human Rights Day.

He would also speak on the need for government and Non-Governmental Organizations and Civil Society Organizations to work with a focused objective to eliminate violence against women and children.

The celebration of the UN Human Rights Day is the final stage of the global campaign of the 16 Days of Activism.

The Union launched the Ghanaian chapter of the campaign in solidarity with the Global #16DaysofActivism project to educate and advocate towards the elimination of violence against women.

The campaign was on the theme: “The Role of Education in Fighting Violence against Women and Children.”

The launch event engaged women and children within the Ada East District at a One Day community outreach project to inform and sensitize the Ghanaian woman.

The launch was done partnership with the Ministry of Gender, Children and social Protection, The Spanish Embassy and The Canadian High Commission.

Other collaborative agencies were UKAID, DANIDA, PLAN International, WILDAF, United Nations Ghana Office, UNICEF, Junior Arts Club and the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit of the Ghana Police service.

As part of measures to promote human rights and democracy, the EU was implementing the EU Strategic Framework on Human Rights and Democracy, with sufficient flexibility to respond to new challenges as they arise.

The strategic framework builds upon the existing body of EU human rights and democracy support policies in the external action, notably EU guidelines, toolkits and other agreed positions and the various external financing instruments, in particular the European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights.

Mr Stavros Lambrinidis, the EU Special Representative for Human Rights, would also contribute to the implementation of the Action Plan, in accordance with his mandate.

The EU lauded Ghana on the ratification of the Optional Protocol to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflict.

The EU expressed the hope that the Action Plan on Human Rights and Democracy would be entrenched and protected within the Ghanaian socio-political scene.

Action Plan covers the period until 31 December 2019 and its implementation will be reviewed in 2017.