Participants at the workshop
Various civil society organisations (CSOs) have gathered in Accra for a two-day workshop, as part of preparations to draft Ghana’s first ever midterm United Nations Universal Periodic Review (UPR).
Organised by the POS Foundation, in partnership with Planned Parenthood Association of Ghana (PPAG) and funded by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the workshop is aimed at enhancing the capacity of CSOs with the knowledge and platform needed to draft a consolidated joint midterm report for submission to the UN Human Rights Council.
UPR is a unique peer-review mechanism by the UN Human Rights Council to assess and improve each member state’s human rights situation every five years.
Ghana underwent its 4th Cycle Review under the UPR mechanism in January 2023 during the 42nd Session of the UN Human Rights Council.
Following this review, Ghana received 298 recommendations, covering key human rights areas such as women’s rights (68), access to justice and the death penalty (64), disability rights (32), LGBTQ+ rights (26), sexual and reproductive health (15), rights of the child (34), and others.
In the lead-up to the review, the POS Foundation, as convener of the Ghana UPR CSO Platform, coordinated the efforts of over 90 civil society organisations to develop thematic shadow reports, submit fact sheets, and participate in pre-sessions and advocacy meetings in Geneva.
These actions significantly contributed to securing strategic and context-specific recommendations during Ghana’s review.
Since the review, follow-up activities including multi-stakeholder engagements and gender-responsive reporting workshops have been conducted to build capacity and track implementation.
In accordance with the UPR reporting framework, Ghana is now expected to submit a voluntary Midterm Report to assess its progress halfway through the implementation period.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Felix Logah, Director of Non-Profit Organisation Secretariat at the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, said the UPR provides Ghana a unique platform to demonstrate its continuous commitment to the promotion of human rights, social inclusion and democratic governance.
He indicated that the ministry is committed to working hand in hand with CSOs to ensure compliance, build capacity, as well as promote an enabling environment for advancing human rights and sustained development.
Mr. Logah also reaffirmed government’s “unwavering commitment to human rights, social justice, and inclusive development.”
Deputy Commissioner at the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), Mercy Larbi, said Ghana’s engagement in the UPR process is a cornerstone of its commitment to promoting and protecting human rights, emphasising that “it highlights the nation’s dedication to upholding human rights standards and obligations.”
“As discussions for this midterm review begin, let us approach this task with a renewed sense of purpose. The human rights of Ghanaians are not abstract concepts. They are the foundation of democracy and the promise of a dignified life for all,” Mrs. Larbi added.
Executive Director of POS Foundation, Jonathan Osei Owusu, on his part, called on government to make sure that the rights of every individual, including minority groups, is protected and not discriminated against “by providing all the necessary support for them through institutional and then systemic support.”
BY Gibril Abdul Razak