By Bertha Badu-Agyei, GNA
Koforidua, Nov. 13, GNA - Human Rights Defenders Ghana, a group of journalists championing human rights issues has called on their fellow journalists to rise above petty feelings and use their mediums to uphold the rights of others.
According to the group, despite the moral and culture dimensions, people who go contrary to the expectation of the society have the right to life and movement and therefore must be protected.
Speaking in turns at a panel discussion, as part of a capacity building for journalists in the Eastern and Volta regions in Koforidua, the human rights defenders observed that journalists must know the tenets of the constitution and educate the public to ensure that people’s rights were not infringed upon.
The 2-day capacity workshop was organized by the African Centre for International Law and Accountability (ACILA), in collaboration with the Human Rights defenders Ghana, to educate participants on Ghana’s obligations under Domestic human rights law as guaranteed by the constitution.
A Human Right Defender, Mr Kojo Quansah, a regional correspondent of the Daily Guide newspaper in the Upper West region, noted that, often journalists, who were supposed to be the voice of the voiceless tend to shy away from people, based on their status, mentioning for instance gays and lesbians.
He recounted how a friend’s business collapsed just because of the speculation that the owner was a gay and called on journalists to protect people’s rights under such instances by educating the public to know that people have the right to do what they desire, so far as they did not infringe on others rights.
Ms Fatima Astanga Anafu, a journalist with the GNA and also a member of the Human Rights Defenders, Ghana, said the role of journalists in respecting people’s right was critical since they reported on various issues bordering on values and the culture of people.
She urged advocacy for vulnerable groups such as albinos, women and children, since in the name of culture, such vulnerable groups were abused and denied their rights in many instances, mentioning widowhood rites and its numerous issues.
Mr Muniru Ibrahim, a radio broadcaster and a member of the group, appealed to journalists not to always report on people’s grievances but to lead such victims to the necessary and appropriate quarters for redress to ensure that their rights were not abused based on their creed or status in society.
Mr William Nyarko, the Executive Director of ACILA, said Ghana’s constitution guaranteed the rights and freedoms of people and also had ratified international laws that sought to protect people, irrespective of their creed.
He charged journalists to upgrade their knowledge on the constitution as well as international laws that guaranteed the fundamental human rights of people, adding that, customary and traditional laws were all subject to the constitution therefore such laws could not be used to abuse people’s rights.
GNA
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