Parliament will Intensify Focus on Human and Child Rights Issues – Hon. Ernest Anim
The Member of Parliament for Kumawu and Chairman of Parliament’s Human Rights Committee, Hon. Ernest Yaw Anim, has reaffirmed the legislative arm’s unwavering commitment to addressing human and child rights issues with the seriousness they deserve.
Speaking to ExpressNewsGhana ahead of a two-day capacity-building workshop organized in collaboration with the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and UNICEF, Hon. Anim outlined the importance of the program, which coincides with Ghana’s chairmanship of the United Nations Human Rights Committee.
The workshop, designed to build the capacity of Members of Parliament, will focus on Parliament’s role in the promotion and protection of human and child rights.
It will also highlight Ghana’s achievements in the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) process and identify strategies for advancing human rights nationwide.
The program was announced during a courtesy call on the Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, by a high-level delegation led by Mr. Akiyo Miguel Afouda, Senior Programme Officer for Governance at the IPU.
The Speaker welcomed the delegation and reiterated Parliament’s dedication to human rights. He emphasized the institution’s strategic role in safeguarding these rights through legislation, oversight, and budgetary processes.
According to Hon Anim, the workshop will take place over two days. The first day will focus on human rights, including: Parliament’s role in promoting and protecting human rights, an overview of the United Nations Human Rights Council and the Universal Periodic Review (UPR).
The phases of the UPR process, the Parliamentary strategies to support UPR recommendation implementation with a closing remarks by the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ).
He said the second day will shift focus to child rights, with sessions on Promoting child rights in Ghana, addressing child labour and trafficking the role of Parliament, Strengthening multi-stakeholder collaboration to protect children’s rights and identifying parliamentary priorities and outlining next steps.
Hon. Anim disclosed that the workshop would bring together representatives from 11 parliamentary committees, including those on Education, Employment and Labour Relations, Health, Subsidiary Legislation, and Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs. The expected number of MPs is capped at 60, with representation from both the Majority and Minority sides of the House.
In addition to parliamentarians, key stakeholders such as civil society organizations—including International Justice Mission (IJM) and other rights-based CSOs—as well as UNICEF and the All-African Union Students’ Association (AASU) have been invited to participate.
Hon. Anim described the workshop as a “comprehensive initiative to strengthen Parliament’s capacity to deliver on its human rights mandate.
Earlier the, the Speaker of Parliament, Rt Hon Alban Bagbin in his opening remarks, reaffirmed the institution’s commitment to human rights promotion through active participation in the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) process.
The Speaker emphasised that Parliament’s unique legislative, oversight, and budgetary functions make it a key factor in protecting rights, monitoring executive compliance, and ensuring the implementation of UPR recommendations.
“Ghana’s Parliament has already acted on several key UPR recommendations supported by the state, including the abolition of the death penalty and the passage of the long-awaited Affirmative Action (Gender Equity) Bill” he said.
The Speaker further stated that the areas of progress in the human rights includes addressing prison conditions, promoting gender and environmental rights, and aligning domestic laws with international human rights protocols.
He added that Parliament has partnered with CHRAJ to implement the National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights through active involvement in the National Mechanism for Reporting and Follow-Up and with closer collaboration with the IPU and human rights CSOs.
The Speaker assured that Parliament will continue to strengthen its oversight and accountability functions to safeguard the rights of all Ghanaians.
He concluded that, in pursuance of its commitment to the promotion and protection of human rights at the domestic and international levels, Parliament has actively been involved in the activities of sessions of Human Rights Council (HRC) and the National Mechanism for reporting and follow-up.
The IPU Officer, Mr. Akiyo Miguel Afouda, commended Speaker for his availability, commitment, and engagement. He added that during the first meeting, which was held in March 2025 it was to celebrate the achievements of the Inter-Parliamentary Union.
He informed the Speaker that a workshop has been programmed to educate members of the Human Rights Committee of Parliament.
Source: Felix Nyaaba/expressnewsghana.com
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