INHR ends workshop on action plan

A two-day workshop for judicial actors in River Gee, Grand Kru, and Maryland Counties on the implementation of the National Human Rights Action Plan has ended in Harper City, Maryland County.

The workshop brought together county attorneys, superintendents, gender coordinators and civil society organizations, among others. According to the Director for Legislative Assistance on treaty matters and laws of the Independent National Human Rights, Nathaniel Solo, the purpose of the workshop is to decentralize the Action Plan.

Mr. Solo said, the document is a five-year plan by the Government of Liberia aimed at achieving and protecting the human rights of citizens and people residing within the territories of Liberia.

He said, the INHR has realized that the action plan has not been popularized, adding that it is against this backdrop that the Commission has embarked on the nationwide tour to ensure that the plan is decentralized.

Speaking to this writer in Harper, he said, the National Human Rights Action Plan for Liberia has been in existence since 2013, but the role of the INHR is to monitor and ensure implementation.

The two days’ workshop taught participants on actuality of the National Human Rights Action Plan and the role of government institutions in ensuring its implementation.
For his part, the City Solicitor of Barclayville, Grand Kru County, Chris Teah, lauded the Independent National Human Rights Commission for the workshop, saying that the knowledge acquired will enable him to fully carry on his functions in the county.

He also disclosed that there are several components in the judicial system of Grand Kru County that are not functional, pointing to the lack of correction centers, and the failure of the defense team to visit magisterial courts in the county as issues that are posing setbacks to the full execution of their duties, which is making state prosecutors and magistrates to decide the fate of defendants.

By George K. Momo from Maryland County-Editing by Jonathan Browne