He said “it is not the case that we do not have rights, we have just failed to stand up for our rights and the rights of others”. Mr. Sosu said this in a key note address delivered on the topic “Stand up for Human Rights” at a forum to commemorate the 2018 International Human Rights Day, and the 70th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, at Winneba.

The forum was organized by the Centre for Human Rights and Peace Studies (CHRAPS) of the University of Education, Winneba, in collaboration with the Youth for Human Rights Africa (YOHRA).

Lawyer Sosu said it was about time “we stand up to be counted, unite and uphold our nation and redefine the future of Ghana where justice for all and injustice to none, respect of fundamental rights of all persons without discrimination and equal treatment of all regardless of economic, political status and affiliation will be our hall mark”.

Ghana is a signatory to all the known International Human Rights Instruments, and that, Ghana has placed itself in a position to respect the value of common humility and the fundamental rights of all its citizens as enshrined in these instruments, he said.

 “History clearly shows that Human Rights Developed, because world leaders never wanted a repeat of the World War 2, they stood for human rights and if we in Ghana, particularly professionals like teachers, police officers, judges, journalists can make a difference in the future of this nation, then there is the need for us to stand for our own rights and the rights of others”.

Mr. Sosu said for instance, it took courageous people in Madina and Adenta Municipality, through public protest and demonstrations, to demand for footbridges and traffic lights after several of their inhabitants lost their lives through tragic accidents before the government responded to their needs.

He said people who violate the rights of others only do so because they fail to recognize the inherent value of human life and human existence, adding that, in Ghana today, “We have been so divided by politics of which it should not be the case, we must be united by our common humanity as we all belong to one human race, of which we must promote and protect human rights regardless of race, colour, ethnic or political considerations”.

According to him, one of the tenets of human rights is fairness and equal justice, and that, the 1992 constitution of Ghana makes its clear in Article 1 (1) that “The sovereignty of Ghana resides in the people in whose name and for whose welfare the powers of government are to be exercised in the manner and within the limits laid down in this constitution”.

He said Ghana has its fair share of the African problems, with several children out of school and those in schools, particularly public schools, suffer serious deficiencies.  “We need to applaud government for the giant step of introducing the Free SHS, but we must be bold to tell the government that, the lack of requisite infrastructure to support the programme invariably violates the right to education of Ghanaian children, especially the educational rights of all affected student”.

He said beyond this, Ghana has serious challenges of inequality, discrimination against women, police brutality, justice and fairness and serious issues of political corruption, naked abuse of power, weak institutions, child trafficking, Child Labour and Child Prostitution among many others. As we reflect on the 70th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, I hope we will have the courage to rise up and stand for Human Rights, he added.