The Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Dr Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, has reaffirmed Ghana’s commitment to protecting the rights of women, children, and vulnerable groups.
She said this when the Commissioner Rapporteur on the Human Rights Situation in the Republic of Ghana and Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Women in Africa, Commissioner Janet Ramatoulie Sallah-Njie, led a high-powered delegation from the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) to pay a courtesy call on her on Monday in Accra.
The mission aimed to promote awareness and implementation of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, the Protocol to the African Charter on the Rights of Women in Africa (also known as the Maputo Protocol), and other regional human rights instruments.
It further aimed to advocate for ratification and effective implementation, foster stronger collaboration with the Government of Ghana, and enhance the Commission’s visibility among national institutions and civil society.
She stated that the Ministry’s efforts in implementing the Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) Policy aim to ensure that every child receives the best start in life.
She emphasised ongoing interventions to eliminate child marriage and combat domestic violence, noting the government’s resolve to establish sixteen shelters nationwide to provide protection and support for survivors of abuse.
She pointed to initiatives promoting the inclusion and welfare of persons with disabilities, alongside the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) programme, which continued to provide critical social protection for poor and vulnerable households.
The Minister reiterated the Ministry’s readiness to strengthen its interventions and work closely with regional and international partners such as the ACHPR to advance human rights and social protection in Ghana.
The delegation also encouraged the timely submission of Ghana’s periodic reports under Article 62 of the African Charter and engaged stakeholders on legislative and policy measures to strengthen human rights protection
Grace Acheampong, ISD
