The award winners with other dignitaries (from left to left: Betty Ayagibah, Ethel Mac-Harrison, Reverend Father Andrew Campbell,Juliana Azumah Mensah,Solomon Joojo Cobbinah, Justice SA Brobbey, Anna Bossman and Matthew Johnson.
Posted on: www.dailyguideghana.com
By William Yaw Owusu
Friday April 15, 2011.
The Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) on Wednesday night in Accra awarded four personalities at its maiden Human Rights Defenders’ Awards.
According to CHRAJ, the activities of the four namely Betty Ayagibah of Widows & Orphans Movement (WOM), Ethel Mac-Harrison of Women in the Lord’s Vineyard (WITLOV), Reverend Father Andrew Campbell, who is in charge of the Weija Leprosarium and Solomon Joojo Cobbinah, a journalist with TV3 Network, impacted positively on the fundamental human rights of other people.
Giving reasons for instituting the awards, which was well attended, Anna Bossman, Acting Commissioner of CHRAJ said it was to celebrate individuals who in their own ways were helping to make life better for others.
She said “these are individuals who, sometimes at great personal cost, have made it their objective to defend and promote fundamental human rights and freedom in their community in their village, in the city, in their country, in short in whatever corner of the world that they find themselves.
She said the promotion of human rights is everybody’s business adding “human rights are not just a buzz phrase or an abstract concept; it is the respect for humanity and the dignity of the human being. Thus respect for and the enforcement and
fulfillment of human rights are roles and responsibilities that must be shared.”
Ms. Bossman said although the commission is the lead agency in the protection and promotion of human rights there are many people and organizations that have excelled in defending human rights in various ways, noting “we do not often hear of them in the media or in public places and so their invaluable contribution, commitment and dedication is overlooked, unrecognized and underestimated.”
“Our vision is to have a society that is truly free, just and equitable, where human rights and the dignity of the human being are respected, where power is accountable and governance is transparent.”
Juliana Azumah Mensah, Minister of Women and Children’s Affairs, who was the guest of honour, said it is appropriate to recognize the contribution of people who fight for the rights of others saying “we should identify human rights defenders to motivate others to also respect the rights of people.”
She said human rights and dignity of people should be of interest to everybody regardless of their status in society and commended the award winners for fighting to make Ghana a better place.
The Acting British High Commissioner to Ghana, Matthew Johnson, whose outfit is collaborating with CHRAJ to organize the awards, said the United Kingdom (UK) and Ghana share a wide range of values including the promotion of human rights and human dignity adding “we should continue to collaborate towards realizing the dreams of our people.”
Rev. Father Campbell said the rate at which the poor and vulnerable in society are neglected is unacceptable and called on all to rethink the manner in which the poor are treated.
While Betty Ayagibah was awarded for assisting orphans and promoting the welfare of widows, Ethel Mac-Harrison was recognized for spearheading community project mobilization, development, implementation, monitoring and evaluation.
Father Campbell was recognized for his continuous support for lepers, vulnerable children and the poor, while Solomon Joojo Cobbinah was honoured for using journalism to promote and protect fundamental human rights. They were given plaques.
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