Annan to grace CHOGM

Jun 25, 2007

FORMER UN secretary generals Boutros Ghali and Kofi Annan are expected to attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting (CHOGM) in Kampala in November.

By Arthur Baguma

FORMER UN secretary generals Boutros Ghali and Kofi Annan are expected to attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting (CHOGM) in Kampala in November.

Margaret Ssekaggya, the chairperson of the Uganda Human Rights Commission, told a workshop recently that the duo will be key speakers at a one-day human rights workshop during the summit.

Ssekaggya said the workshop will tackle human rights abuse, violations and remedies; human rights education and the rights-based approach to poverty eradication.

“The meeting will be the first in which national institutions would come together with the aim of strengthening the capacity of national human rights institutions to protect and promote human rights in the Commonwealth,” Ssekaggya said.

The workshop will be organised by the Uganda Human Rights Commission in partnership with the Action on Disability and Development, National Union of Disabled People in Uganda, Uganda Network on Law, Ethics and HIV/AIDS and INTERIGHTS.

Under the theme, Human Rights: Abuse, Violations and Remedies in the Commonwealth, the workshop will be held on November 20.

It will also emphasise the importance of working together with civil rights society on human rights issues.

Ssekaggya also said they would explore approaches to human rights education in order to secure universal and effective participation, recognition, observance and empowerment of people on human rights.

The workshop will try to reconcile state violations and non-state human rights abuse in order to cater for the victims of violations of human rights.

The concept of international assistance as well as national policies on poverty eradication will also be reviewed in search of best options for poverty eradication. The workshop will come up with a statement to be adopted in the official communiqué to be presented to the heads of government.

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