An expert in Law and Development and a lecturer with the University of Ghana School of Law, Dr. Benjamin Kumbuor says the major challenge confronting Human Rights Acts in the 21st Century is the balance between the security of the state and these rights.
Speaking at the 6th Legal Luminaries Platform organised by the Law Students’ Union (LSU) at the Faculty of Law in the University of Cape Coast, on the theme, “Human Rights Advocacy in the 21st Century; The Lawyer’s Perspective”, Dr. Kumbuor said the pathways human rights have travelled over the years has been a complicated one adding that human rights must be looked at from a thematic point of view instead of the theoretical point.
The Dean for the Faculty of Law at the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA), Professor Ernest Kofi Abotsi who was also a speaker for the programme, indicated that even as the country tries to deal with the issue of LGBTQ+, questions that surround balancing the interests of the minority and the majority groups must be taken into consideration.
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According to him “If the people who practice LGBTQ are in the minority is that of necessity mean that their rights should be sacrificed for those in the majority? Are the majority always, right? Should the state only exist for the majority? or must the state constantly balance the interest of minority against that of minority?
He said the arguments being raised are not just those of religion but those that implicate questions of majority-minority rights and those that persons whose voices are weak in the overall political scheme of things are also asking to be heard.
In his address, the Provost of the College of Humanities and Legal Studies, Professor Francis Eric Amoqoandoh urged legal practitioners in the country to always make it a point to effectively discharge their duty of upholding the rights of citizens especially during these times when human right issues in the country have become more prevalent.
“Human right is very essential. It is one of the foundations of your dear profession. As lawyers it is your duty to advocate so that human rights of citizens and humanity in general prevail even in this era of the 21st century where there are a number of abuses.”
Source: Rosemond Asmah/ATLFMNEWS
