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Muslim leaders from Ghana undergoing human rights training in Senegal

Ten Muslim leaders from Ghana are undergoing training in human rights in Senegal to help them support the cause of community wellbeing in their country.

The training which started from December 9 and scheduled to end December 20, was being funded by the Carter Centre of Atlanta, United States of America, an organisation founded by former President Jimmy Carter.

Among the participants were leaders of Muslim civil society organisations, heads of non-profit organisations, traditional heads, Imams, Muslim women leaders and Muslim youth leaders.

 Themed: “Promoting community wellbeing,” this year’s seminar sought to use religious and traditional leaders as agents of social change.

The participants were taken through the harmful social norms, gender roles, collective problem solving, human rights instruments and alignment of human rights with religion.

Welcoming the participants last Tuesday, the Coordinator, Birima Fall of the Tostan Training Centre urged the beneficiaries to take advantage of the training and become ambassadors of change to their communities.

Laura M. Oslon, Director of Human Rights Programme at the Carter Centre, said the training would broaden the knowledge of participants to be able to make meaningful contributions in the development of their communities.

She said the rights of a person, particularly the vulnerable, were inalienable and must be protected.

Sheikh Khuzaima Osman, a Personal Assistant to the National Chief Imam of Ghana said, “This advance training sought to orient Muslim leaders in Ghana on leadership and institutional development which is affecting the progress of Muslims in the Ghana.

 “The declining spirit of Dawah (propagation of Islam), lack of awareness of human rights and entrepreneurship development, as well as inadequate Institutional and Organisational Development (systems, structures and skills) within Muslim organisations were amongst the key challenges that required immediate attention for the promotion of community wellbeing among Muslims”, he stated.

Chief Alhaji Umar Baba Issah, the spokesperson of the Council of Muslims Chiefs, urged his colleagues to move from mere rhetoric to action. 

Hajia Aishatu Abdul-Kadiri, National Secretary of FOMWAG, the largest Muslim women’s organisation in Ghana said, “it is very crucial for women to partner our men in contributing to decision making processes at the family and all community levels”.

She said the girl child should be encouraged to understand the opportunities and challenges within her environment, so that they could make informative choices on education and career development.

So far, 587 people from 49 countries across the globe have benefited from the training since its inception from 2015 to date.

BY MALIK SULLEMANA

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