She said "if we want to achieve the SGD 2030 and also live in an inclusive and peaceful world where we can all enjoy sustainable prosperity, then implementing Ghana's human rights obligations is a critical part that cannot be taken for granted".

Nana Chinbuah said this at a two day national strategic multi-stakeholder workshop on mid-term reporting under the United Nations (UN) Universal Periodic Review (UPR) mechanism in Accra.

The workshop which was organized by The Protector of Sentiments Foundation, in partnership with the Office of the Attorney General and the United Nations Development Funds was held under the theme: "Training and compilation of reports towards the submission of Ghana's mid-term report on the third UPR cycle".

She said UPR mechanism is a unique human rights mechanism to track the fulfillment of each states human right obligation and commitment towards the recommendations.

She said promoting respect for human right and redress for human rights violations are critical evidence from the work in progress not just at UNDP but across all UN agencies, and it was for this reason that the UN works in partnership with government and Civil Society Organizations (CSO's).

"We recognize that when we reach out to empower the poorest and vulnerable in society, when we support Ghana to build strong, just and inclusive institutions and the provision of essential public services and infrastructure, we are helping put in place the necessary enabling conditions for people to live their lives with dignity."

Nana Chinbuah said mobilizing resources for human rights was much more difficult in this current climate, however, human rights remained an important priority for UNDP and the UN.

She urged the CSO's to remain resolute in their commitment to promoting respect for and protection of human rights in Ghana; and expressed the hope that the training would contribute to strengthening the already formidable front of Ghana's CSO's on the UPR platform.

Madam Ugonna Ukaigwe, National Coordinator, Ghana CSO's Platform on SDG's, said SDG's represents the vision of the world Africans want by 2030, for the world to be good where people's freedoms and rights are protected.

She said as a country, Ghana has made tremendous efforts to put herself in the right direction to implement the SDGs and this cannot be achieved if we have a poor human rights record.

"If we are to do this then Ghana would be a champion of the SDGs and at the same time with a great human rights record."

Mr Gilbert Onyango, UPR Info Africa, said there is no other way to ensure that recommendations made would be effective unless they are implemented.

He said the mid-term reporting under the UPR was not a mandatory requirement of the UN but a best practice that enable CSO's keep government in check and ensure that the recommendations were being followed.

Mr Jonathan Osei Owusu, Executive Director and Convener UPR CSO's Platform, said under the UPR mechanism, Member States were encouraged to submit mid- term report to the HRC before the end of a cycle which severs as a guide to the monitoring process.

He said the workshop was to serve as a trigger for government action on recommendations that has not received attention so far before the end of the cycle, to build the capacity of participants on mid- term reporting under the UPR,  provide tools to enable participants collate activity report for Ghana's mid- term report.