UNFPA wants human rights-based approaches in local level development planning

Dr Emmily Naphambo, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Deputy Representative to Ghana, has called on local government institutions to prioritise the inclusion of human rights-based approaches into their development planning and implementation to promote inclusivity.She said incorporating human rights-based approaches into the activities of institutions and organisations would ensure respect and dignity for human beings and prevent conflicts to enhance effective participation and inclusive development.Dr Naphambo made the call at Nalerigu during a two-day training workshop organised for selected stakeholders from decentralised state institutions including District Assemblies in the North East Region.The training was held under the theme: 'Integrating Human Rights-Based Approaches into Local Planning and Development.'It formed part of the two-year Peace Building Fund (PBF) project being rolled out from a collaboration between the UNFPA and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).The proje ct is being implemented in Chereponi, Bunkprugu-Nakpanduri and Yunyoo/Nasuan Districts by the North East Regional Coordinating Council and the Youth Harvest Foundation Ghana.It is aimed at addressing the root causes of localised conflicts and vulnerabilities to violent extremism in Northern Ghana, particularly the border communities in the Upper East, Upper West and North East Regions.The training brought together representatives from some beneficiary District Assemblies, Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice, Electoral Commission, Ghana Education Service, Ghana Health Service, Peace Council, among others.Dr Naphambo emphasised that just like the other parts of Northern Ghana, the North East Region had been challenged significantly with issues of conflicts resulting from instability and activities of violent extremist from neighbouring countries.She expressed need for local governance structures particularly the Municipal and District Assemblies to help build the resilience of communit ies against the shocks by integrating the perspectives and demands of all persons as stipulated by the Local Government Act.Madam Selina Owusu, a Gender Analyst at UNFPA, said the training was part of the efforts of the project to ensure that local governing institutions, actors, and customary governing structures were more inclusive, responsive, committed, and accountable to deliver on their mandate for quality service.Dr Esther Ofei-Aboagye, a Social Policy Analyst, who facilitated the training, identified issues of lack of inclusion, coordination, and inadequate budgeting as major constraints in the implementation of the decentralised system of governance in Ghana.She appealed to the various District Assemblies to engage more with the communities to enhance inclusive development.Source: Ghana News Agency