HUMAN RIGHT CONFERENCE OPENS

Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) and the Africa Regional Organization of the International Trade Union Confederation has formally opened the Pan-African Human Rights Conference in Accra. The theme of the conference was, "Dignity and Justice for All of Us”. Participants were drawn the Africa labour movement, some major human rights advocacy and defense organizations, non-governmental organizations, networks, institutions and prominent individuals from Africa. During the conference participants will be reviewing the state of human rights in Africa to help identity the most critical, pressing issues for common actions and campaigns to be solved on a continental scale. Also, they will also address the growing and deepening problems and challenges of human rights on the continent. Some of the topical issues discussed to be discussed are Civil and Political Rights in Africa today and how to Promote them Using Sub-Regional and African Mechanisms; A Review of the International and African Mechanisms for Promoting Women's Rights in Africa; and Armed Conflict, Human Rights and impunity in Africa. Addressing the participants Mr. Femi Falana a human right activitist and a lawyer from Nigeria said in spite of the African Charter on human and peoples Rights, it has been taken beyond the narrow scope of the constitution of most African countries. “As it is an amalgam of political, civil, social, economic and cultural rights as well as the right to development, it ought to the mantra of the oppressed masses of Africa who wallow in object poverty in the midst of plenty”. He advised all human right activists to help in compelling member states of the African Union to comply with the various articles of the human right constitutions through political and legal actions. The conference will last for three days.