December 2020 – Human Rights Reporters Ghana (NGO)

December 20, 2020December 20, 2020

Potter’s Village Orphanage gets CSOs Youth Sub-Platform on SDGs support to fight Covid-19

The Youth Sub-Platform of the Ghana Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) Platform on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) on Friday December 19, presented some Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) to support and empower the children of the Potter’s Village Orphanage located at Dodowa in the fight against Covid-19.

The items which included customized fabric nose masks for both adults and children as well as assorted stickers boldly inscribed with educational messages which reinforces the Covid-19 fight, the need to strictly adhere to its health protocols to remain safe always.

Some of the messages displayed on the stickers read: “wear your mask”, “signs and symptoms of Covid 19”, “wash your hands with soap under running water”, “how Covid 19 spreads” and “no need to stigmatize, be your neighbours’ keeper” among others.

Mr. Joseph Kobla Wemakor, the Co-convener of the SDG Youth Sub-platform in Ghana who presented the items averred that the gesture seeks to complement government’s efforts to stop the spread of the virus and reduce its adverse impacts especially at the time the world is on the verge of witnessing the second wave of the pandemic.

Addressing the orphanage at a brief ceremony prior to the donation, Mr. Wemakor who doubles as the Executive Director of Human Rights Reporters Ghana (HRRG) urged the children to do their bit by strictly complying with the health measures set by the World Health Organization and the Ghana Health Service to help prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus.

“Covid is real, you must endeavor to practice the washing of hands regularly with soap under running water, cover your nose and mouth when sneezing or coughing with a disposable tissue, keep a distance of at least two meters from people, and use hand sanitizers often to stay safe from the respiratory disease.

The donation was received by a staff on behalf of the orphanage who pledged it would be put to a good use for the benefit of the children.

The presentation was made possible through the kind support of the Ghana National Civil Society Organization Platform on Sustainable Development Goals, (umbrella body of over 400 CSOs working on SDGs in Ghana) under its special CSO COVID-19 Fund powered by contributions made by its members.

The initiative which formed part of the second phase of interventions by the benevolent platform was geared towards relieving the plight of the less privileged as a way of complimenting government’s efforts and the global goal of flattening the COVID-19 curve and its eradication.

Under its first phase, the platform supported the distribution of food items, medical supplies, clothing, and toiletries to aid the vulnerable groups such as People Living with Disabilities (PWDs), Street Children, Aged/Widows and the mentally challenged.

About the CSO Platform on SDGs

The Ghana Civil Society (CSO) Platform on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) was established in October 2015 to ensure more coordinated civil society efforts in achieving the SDGs in Ghana.

The CSOs platform was institutionalized in May 2016 and includes more than 400 member organisations, consisting of coalitions, associations, unions, community-based organisations, local, national and international non-governmental organisations, and religious groups.

Membership cuts across the 216 districts of Ghana and is divided into 17 SDG sub-platforms, one for each of the 17 goals in addition to the Youth Sub-Platform.

Human Rights Reporters Ghana (HRRG) is a member of the platform and the Co-convener for the Youth Sub-Platform.

Vision and Mission of the Platform

The vision of the CSOs platform is to be the coordinating platform for CSOs in Ghana in pursuit of achieving the SDGs by 2030.

The CSOs platform’s mission is to bring civil society organisations across Ghana together to foster joint efforts, partnerships with key stakeholders and effective advocacy for achieving the SDGs at the national, regional and international levels.

Source:HRRG

December 11, 2020December 11, 2020

Human Rights Reporters Ghana commends South Korean Government for release of Shincheonji church leader; appeals for his case to end

Accra, Dec 10, – As the world marks the Human Rights Day 2020 today, various activities are being organized in many parts of the world and on the global stage to commemorate the significant day.

In Ghana, a Non-Governmental Organisation, the Human Rights Reporters Ghana (HRRG), is equally raising its voice in support of calls to end human rights violations across the world by first commending the government authorities of South Korea for the move which saw the acceptance of the bail conditions of the leader of Shincheonji Church of Jesus, Mr. Lee Man-hee leading to his release from detention on November 12, 2020.

Chairman Lee was arrested on last August July 31, 2020 for allegedly withholding information from government authorities about church members to help combat coronavirus, according to reports.

A statement signed by the Mr Joseph Wemakor, the Executive Director of Human Rights Reporters Ghana and copied to the media commends the government authorities of South Korea for the move and further calls on them to completely struck out his case from court and have him discharged entirely while equally ensuring the restoration of the legal entity of Heavenly Culture, World Peace, Restoration of Light (HWPL) a not-for-profit organization founded by Mr. Lee.

Human Rights Day is observed every year on 10 December-the day the United Nations General Assembly adopted, in 1948, the Universal Declaration Human Rights (UDHR). The theme for this year’s celebration is “Recover Better – Stand Up for Human Rights”.

Read the full statement here

Source:Human Rights Reporters Ghana

December 11, 2020December 11, 2020

2020 Human Rights Day: Safeguard Human Rights after a peaceful election-HRRG

Today is 2020 Human Rights Day, an important moment in the fight for and the respect for the human rights of people across the world. This year’s theme is “Recover Better – Stand Up for Human Rights.”

In a press release signed by the Executive Director, Joseph Kobla Wemakor and copied to the media, the Human Rights Reporters Ghana (HRRG), a non-governmental organization, non-profit human rights organization independent of all political parties, governments or religious groups in Ghana indicated that the world has not been the same since the covid-19 struck.

Its presence across the world has caused struggles in moments of lockdowns, which came with its own shades of human rights abuses and infractions.

Human Rights and Election 2020

Ghana has come out of the election but not without some instances of electoral and post-electoral violence happening that led to the death of some persons.

Ghanaians can only be assured the freedom to enjoy their rights if stakeholders ensure the country is held together in peace. As the world marks this special day, the Human Rights Reporters Ghana (HRRG) can only express joy for the people of Ghana having come out a stronger and united nation after the 2020 general elections.

This success is an assurance that Ghanaians have been guaranteed a peace-loving nation and an opportunity to reach their full potentials after exercising their democratic rights to vote in an important election such as this.

The (HRRG) used the occasion to congratulate the Ghanaian people and President Nana Akufo-Addo on his re-election into office as well as the other contenders for choosing peace at this critical time.

COVID-19 AND HUMAN RIGHTS CHALLENGES

Covid-19 impacted every aspect of the basic rights of citizens in developed and less developed countries around the world calling for a compromise on the right to free movement to save lives.

Sadly people’s right to life, health, food, and clothing were impacted by the lockdowns, lack of food, water, and financial resources for people to survive in many deprived areas.

Governments, Non-governmental organizations, and other stakeholders rose to the challenge posed by covid-19 to help save lives through health delivery, education, and provide food and water among others.

Even as these successes have been recorded, we cannot lose sight of the rising inequalities, poverty, discrimination, and other wide gaps in human rights protection and promotion, the impact of the COVID-19 response in many nations and for particular groups of people, has been dawdling.

HUMAN RIGHTS AND RELIGOUS FREEDOM AND DISCRIMINATION

The UN Secretary-General has emphasized the instability and fear that the pandemic has brought and the worrying human rights concerns of discrimination and stigmatization of persons who had been cured of COVID-19 around the world.

The leadership of HRRG supported sister institutions around the world to ensure religious bodies and leaders such as the Shincheonji Church and its leadership in South Korea are treated with respect and dignity. This attests to the fact that abuses, stigmatization, discrimination, scapegoating by government and officials in leadership positions need to be condemned.

The Human Rights Reporters Ghana in its quest to champion human rights issues through local and international collaboration joined like-minded civil society organizations to bring to the attention the human treatments visited on the church in South Korea.

The release of Chairman Lee Man-Hee, the leader of the Shincheonji Church from detention brings to the fore, the power of a united front in the struggle for the respect of the rights of all persons by individuals, organizations, and governments across the world.

As the world celebrates another Human Rights Day, on the theme Recover Better – Stand Up for Human Rights, the Human Rights Reporters Ghana has called on all stakeholders to reflect on the challenges and gains in the last ten months and to recommit efforts, resources, and policies toward ensuring the fundamental rights of all citizens are respected.

The institution further called for the building of more resilient, just, and sustainable societies around the world in times of global crisis. This demands all stakeholders to recommit themselves to ensuring the human rights of citizens across the world are guaranteed.

In Ghana, these calls for the efforts toward protecting and giving hope to the less privileged, educating the citizenry on their rights and avenues available to them in the case where the abused must not be ignored.

It also calls for more efforts to support women and girls who are defiled and due to the lack of financial resources, tests needed to ascertain their status and to apprehend suspects who are lost.

The HRRG believes that the celebration of the 2020 Human Rights Day must inspire Ghana to among other things continue to uphold, protect, and allow for the universal rights outlined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Source:HRRG