The Awardees include Madam Betty Ayagibah, founder of Widows and
Orphans Movement, Mrs Ethel Mac-Harrison, founder of Women in the
Lord’s Vineyard, an NGO, Reverend Father Andrew Campbell, founder of
the Leper’s Aid committee and Mr Solomon Joojo Cobbinah, a Broadcast
Journalist.
The Human Rights Defender’s Awards was initiated to celebrate
individuals who in their own way were helping to make life a little
better for others.
In addition, it was to honour individuals who have made it a duty
to defend and promote fundamental human rights in their community,
village, city and the country as a whole.
Ms Anna Bossman, Acting Commissioner of CHARJ, said the winners
of the inaugural awards for human rights defender were individuals who
have impacted positively on the human development in their respective
communities.
“…they are people who have quietly contributed immensely to the
protection and promotion of fundamental human rights and freedom and
who have exhibited passion and dedication to their various causes,”
she added.
She said the awards were also intended to motivate others to do
likewise especially the younger ones to know that values of being
public spirited and doing things to alleviate the pain and despair of
fellow beings.
Ms Bossman urged government and institutions to ensure and
recognise and award human rights activists and defenders in the
country.
Mrs Juliana Azumah-Mensah, Minister of Women and Children’s
Affairs, commended the awardees for their immense contribution to the
alleviation of human rights violations in the country.
She also urged the awardees to collaborate with the Ministry of
Women and Children Affairs in programmes and activities.
Mrs Azumah-Mensah appealed to organisers of the awards scheme to
make sure they identify more human rights defenders and equally honour
them.
She commended the organisers for putting together the awards
package and called on other corporate institutions to support in
subsequent ones.
Mr Mathew Johnson, Acting British High Commissioner to Ghana,
said the awards should offer Ghana the opportunity to launch a debate
that encourages a culture that values the role of human rights
defenders and institutionalise public recognition of valuable
activities performed by human rights defenders.
“Raise the level of ambition for the promotion and protection of
human rights in Ghana and beyond its borders”, he added.
Rev Father Campbell, a representative of the awardees, expressed
gratitude to the organisers and urged all and sundry to join in the
campaign against human rights violation in Ghana and the world.
He called on government to support various leprosy homes in the
country for them to be assured of love and care.
Originally posted here: