HUMAN RIGHTS, GENDER ISSUES UNDER EXAMINATION (PAGE 29)

Story: Vincent Adedze, Tamale

FOR the past one week, a number of institutions and human rights activists in the Tamale metropolis have intensified their activities to critically examine human rights and gender issues in the area.
This has become imperative because of the numerous human rights issues that are being highlighted by the media in the metropolis in recent times.
The International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) Ghana, the Journalists for Human Rights (JHR), a non-governmental organisation (NGO), and the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) have all organised series of workshops aimed at addressing various forms of human rights issues in the metropolis.
Among the issues discussed by the institutions were the high incidence of torture of women suspected of witchcraft, the situation of prisoners on remand at the Tamale Central Prisons, and strategies to help improve upon women’s access to justice in the area.
Other issues that were discussed included early marriages, inheritance and non-maintenance of children. Figures showed that 57 cases of all forms of women’s rights abuse in the Northern Region were handled by FIDA between January and September last year.
According to the Northern Regional Director of CHRAJ, Mr Iddrisu Dajia, his outfit had identified a witch camp at Kukuo, a suburb of the metropolis, where 114 women suspected of being witches and 171 children were living.
“The closest example worth highlighting is the torture and humiliating treatment meted out to 18 women at Sagnarigu, a suburb of Tamale. This was allegedly perpetrated by some youth in the village,” he stated. Touching on remand prisoners at the Tamale Central Prisons, Mr Dajia indicated that as of July 3, 2007, the total number of remand prisoners was 98 and they “ were squeezed into an accommodation facility meant for only 20 people”.
“The cause of congestion at the remand prison was attributed to the delay in the trial and prosecution of suspects, especially since the regional tribunals are not yet well constituted to facilitate trials,” the director stated.
He, therefore, called for an expansion of the remand facility of the Tamale Central Prisons to address the current problem of congestion.
The Executive Director of FIDA, Madam Jane Quaye, expressed concern about delays in justice delivery, particularly on issues affecting women and children.
According to her, FIDA would petition the Inspector General of Police (IGP) over delays in the arrest and prosecution of some suspects alleged to have molested a middle-aged woman, Fati Adam, at Gburumani in the Tolon-Kumbungu District.
FIDA is currently facilitating the investigation of the case in which Fati was alleged to have bewitched her stepson leading to the son’s death for which reason she was allegedly molested and chained by her accusers to compel her to confess.
Madam Quaye’s concerns about that issue were raised during a day’s sensitisation workshop to help improve upon women’s access to justice in the Northern and Upper East regions.