CHRAJ launches Human Right and Integrity week

The Commission for Human Right and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) on Monday launched its annual Human Right and Integrity week with a call on Ghanaians to show love and compassion to Persons Living with HIV (PLHIV)

The commission said it finds it regrettable that PLHIV are continually stigmatised and discriminated against.

It said such behaviour constitute violations of rights of PLHIV and go a long way to spread the disease as victims fail to disclose their status.

The annual calendar week celebration, which highlights human dignity and justice for all is this year throwing light on PLHIV in commemoration of world AIDS day which is celebrated on December 1.

Launching the week in Accra, Mr Joseph Whittal, Deputy Commissioner of CHRAJ said it was heart warming to note that Ghana has recorded a reduction in the prevalence rate of HIV and AIDS and is on course to reach the goal of zero new infections, zero AIDS related deaths, and zero discrimination by 2015 as envisaged globally.

“We there encourage all persons: single or married, divorce, old, young, female or male to get tested,” he said.

Mr Whittal noted that despite the strides, the figures are still alarming and that there is the need to redouble efforts as a nation to attain global targets by 2015.

He said the current estimate show that in 2012, 235,972 persons were living with the disease, with 27,734 being children, 7,138 new infections, 11,655 related deaths and 852 new child infections.

CHRAJ commended Ghana AIDS Commission (GAC) for its efforts at carrying the National Strategic Plan for HIV and AIDS (NSP 2011-2015) through.

CHRAJ expressed the hope its collaboration with GAC would protect and promote the rights of most at risk populations in the country through the new innovative web based platform hosted by the commission for reporting and tracking complaints.

Other activities billed for the week celebration are educational visit to some selected schools and an anti corruption day on the state of corruption.