New Generation for Africa Project in partnership with the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) - Weija-Gbawe Municipal Office commemorated International Human Rights Day on Tuesday 10 December 2019 at Domeabra Methodist Basic School in the Ga South Municipality.
Our Chairman - Lawyer Emmanuel Dubik Mahama and Mr. Frank Kwabena Owusu, the Municipal Director of CHRAJ at Weija-Gbawe Municipal Office addressed the large audience of over 200 Junior High School 3rd years.
Mr Frank Kwabena Owusu, the Municipal Director of CHRAJ presented a paper on 'Corruption as a Human Rights abuse'.
Mr. Owusu further stated that corruption starts from the basic level at schools. He explained that human rights are breached when corruption is encouraged. He described CHRAJs policy document to combat corruption and how it can be invoked.
He said the National Anti-Corruption Plan document transcends political boundaries and tackle Corruption holistically through prevention, education and enforcement.
He charged the participants to be patriotic citizens and help fight Corruption for national development.
Lawyer Emmanuel Mahama, the guest speaker who doubles as the Chairman of New Generation for Africa Project sensitized the audience on Gender-Based Violence in Schools (GBV).
He indicated that School-Related Gender-Based Violence is a violation of individual rights and must be halted.
According to him school-related gender based violence (GBV) includes any form of violence or abuse that is based on gender expression or identity.
He stated that GBV may include rape, unsolicited sexual touching or sexual comments, corporal punishment, bullying and verbal harassment among others. He further said that unequal power relations between adults and children and between males and females contribute to GBV. Both boys and girls can be victims as well as perpetrators.
Lawyer Mahama enumerated that GBV can take place in the school, on the school grounds, going to and from school or dormitories, and may be perpetrated by teachers, students, leading to greater rates of absenteeism, dropping out and educational failure.
More direct mental and physical injury, pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections ( including HIV/AIDS) or emotional/ psychological I'll health.
Lawyer Mahama entreated the Children to be bold to report cases of Gender Based Violence to Constitutionally mandated bodies like CHRAJ, DOVVSU etc.
He further encouraged the children to join the fight against gbv by reading the hashtag #16days, #orangetheworld etc. on all social media handles.
NGAP gave each student a unique personal writing pad with various school related forms of gbv inscribed on the cover to help thestudents identify same. All students were refreshed and interacted with members of the visiting organisations.