GUNSA Marks International Human Rights Day

The Ghana United Nations Students and Youth Association (GUNSA) has called on the Government to scale-up the implementation of policies and programmes that will enhance and guarantee the economic rights of citizens.

A statement signed by Mr Emmanuel J.K Arthur of the Communications Directorate of GUNSA, and copied to the Ghana News Agency on the occasion of International Human Rights Day, which was commemorated on December 10, also called on the United Nations to pay close attention to the appalling treatment meted out to the Rohingya people in Myanmar, resulting in about one million becoming refugees in neighbouring Bangladesh.

'The Rohingya have a right to belong to any ethic group of their choice and this must be respected.

'We call on the UN and the Myanmar Government to find an amicable resolution of the issues to enable a peaceful repatriation of the displaced people,' the statement said.

The group also condemned the news about the sale of Africans as slaves in Libya.

'The practice is not only barbaric, heinous and unacceptable, it is also a gross violation of the human rights of the affected persons and we call on the international community to strictly be guided by the recently adopted measures at the Africa-European Union Summit in Cote d'Ivoire including the Voluntary Repatriation measures as well as stiffer UN sanctions to halt the practice.

'One of the rights espoused by the UN is the Right to safety and freedom from fear. It is in this vein that we in GUNSA condemn the untoward sufferings that millions of children, women and the aged have been subjected to in Yemen over the last half decade, which has resulted in rampant deaths, outbreak of diseases and famine.

'We urge all interested parties in the conflict to ceasefire, allow the delivery of humanitarian support services and above all, respect the fundamental human rights, dignity and freedoms of the vulnerable in war-torn Yemen,'' the statement said.

On the local front, the statement urged the Government to double-up efforts to improve conditions at the country's prisons, cells, hospitals and schools, particularly the boarding institutions, as student population increased because of the Free Senior High School Programme, a laudable initiative by government.

This, when done, would further dignify the human status of users of the said facilities, it said.

'As we mark this year's International Human Rights Day, we also advocate greater education and public awareness creation on the dangers of mob justice and sexual abuse against children, the statement said.

GNA