IHR Celebrates 20Yrs
The Human Rights Commission in collaboration with the Human Rights Working Group on Tuesday 10th December, 2013 celebrated International Human Rights Day on the theme: ‘20 Years Working For Your Rights’ at the Atlantic Hall, National Stadium, Freetown.
Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Franklyn Bai Kargbo stated that the Human Rights Commission of Sierra Leone has attained seven years working for people’s rights as the first set of Commissioners were sworn in 10th December, 2006 seven years ago and the commission has grown from strength to strength and through hard work as a nation, adding, “we now have a seat on the Human Rights Council.”
Franklyn Bai Kargbo further noted that tremendous strides have being made by government taken towards ensuring the continued human rights of its citizens and others living in the country, adding, “the key and fundamental to the sustenance of a human rights culture in any country is the existence of a Constitution based on the Universal Principles of Human Rights and to this end, I am happy to state that the government has not only shown its commitment to a constitutional review process by launching of the Constitutional Review Committee and the provision of funds out of the Consolidated Fund to kick start the committee’s work; it has committed the amount of two billion, one hundred million Leones (Le 2,100,000,000) in the 2014 budget to ensure the sustainability of the committee’s work”.
He highlighted that President Ernest Bai Koroma has again signed the long awaited Freedom of Information Act publicly into law which shows that as a government has nothing to hide and willing to take their place alongside international partners in an open, transparent and accountable manner.
The Attorney General reiterated that the twenty years of working on human rights internationally, Sierra Leone can hold its head up high in the area of international treaty reporting as to date has submitted Initial-to-date reports on the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), noting, “the Convention against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CAT), the African Charter on Human Rights and People’s Rights and out most recent report on the Convention on the Rights of the Child.”
He commended the Human Rights Commission of Sierra Leone and its partners both national and international on this great day and pledged the Ministry’s support to work collectively to strive to ensure a better human rights climate for all.
Parliamentary Oversight Committee on Human Rights Deputy Chairman, Hon. Alhaji Serray Dumbuya said that past Tuesday was a beautiful and joyful day to mark twenty years of struggle for human rights as it is the fulfillment of defending dream, delayed hopes and the answering of prayers.
Hon. Alhaji Serray Dumbuya stated that the world is seeing a new Sierra Leone, democratic where individual rights and freedom are guaranteed like the recent passing to law the Rights to Access Information, adding, “President Ernest Bai Koroma has encouraged transparency in governance, uphold of democracy and the rule of law and ensured that our people are able to express themselves and participate in government. We are regaining our past glories dignity and respect as Sierra Leonean.”
By Abdul R. Bedor
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