Culture should not affect the rights of any individual- Hagan

Accra April 8, GNA - Professor George Hagan, Chairman of the National Commission on Culture (NCC) on Thursday said culture should not affect the human rights of any individual.

He said some cultural norms such as widowhood rites in Ghana and female genital mutilation among other practices often affected people's rights. Professor Hagan said this at a meeting with Ms Thoraya Ahmed Obaid, Executive Director of United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), who is on a visit to Ghana to attend a retreat under the theme: "Promoting Human Rights Through Culturally Sensitive Approaches" in Accra.


Prof Hagan stressed the need for the intensification of education on what culture really was about and what it sought to do, adding: "Culture is not only about music, drumming and dancing, it has more to do with human rights."


He said culture should, therefore, be made the focal point in any country's development because the population and the economy of any country depended on culture.

"Our local music, drama and dance should be used to communicate the real meaning of our culture to the people", he said. Ms Obaid said the retreat was being organised to assist UNFPA Country Offices to explore, develop and implement culturally sensitive approaches to promote human rights issues and reproductive health including HIV/AIDS prevention.


She said the retreat would find ways to deal with human rights issues without bringing it into conflict with African culture.