Opinion leaders advised to put the Law above cultural opinions

A Project Officer with the Legal Resources Centre (LRC), Madam Rita Nupe Demuyakor, has appealed to opinion leaders in the Tolon district and the northern region as a whole to prioritize what the law says above cultural opinions and practices when it comes to matters of human rights.

Rita Nupe was speaking at a public education workshop on access to justice held in Tolon.

She said, what the laws of Ghana say about an issue, especially in relation to human rights is what is to be considered and discharged above any cultural directive or opinion.

“We are pleading that they (opinion leaders) should try to differentiate between the culture and what the laws say, what the law says is what holds, we understand that we are in a culture where the cultural opinion matters but when it comes to issues of people’s rights let’s put what the law says above what culture says so that people can all have access to justice.” She appealed.

However, the District Director for the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) in Tolon, madam Hawawu Abdul Rahman bemoaned the unfortunate practice of victims not reporting cases of abuse to the appropriate offices to punish the culprits.

She said it is due to cultural factors, beliefs, and the fear of stigmatization but the NCCE in the district is furthering the efforts to change the narrative.

The workshop brought together traditional leaders, religious leaders, leaders of the market women in the district, PWDs among others, and it was held at the Tolon district assembly with funding from the USAID under the USAID Justice Sector Support Activity implemented by the Legal Resources Centre and it’s sub-awardees, Crime Check Foundation, Interregional Bridge Group, and Commonwealth Human Right Initiative.