Nana Oye Lithur leading the group in a walk against poverty
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16th December, 2010
Protesters Walk Barefoot To Campaign Against Poverty
The Human Rights activist yesterday, staged a barefoot walk in Accra to draw public attention to the increasing rate of poverty in the country.
The walk, under the theme “Barefoot Against Poverty”, was in commemoration of the International Human Rights Day which fell on December 10.
It was attended by legal practitioners, civil society activists, media practitioners, foreign volunteers, and a section of the public.
Also in attendance was the Rastafarian hip-life musician, Emmanuel Owusu Bonsu, popularly known as ‘Wanlov Kubolor’, who in his daily life, walks barefooted.
Amidst singing and dancing, the activists began the 45-minute walk from the Supreme Court at 10:15 am, want through the High Street, and ended at the Independence Square.
The marchers, numbering about 80, wore white T-shirts with red scarves around their necks and heads.
The Executive Director of Human Rights Advocacy Centre, Nana Oye Lithur said the march aimed to raise awareness about the increasing rate of poverty in the country and its effects on human rights.
“Walking barefoot against poverty to mark human rights day is a way to connect with people and highlight the plight of those who struggle for access to the most basic of human rights,” she said.
“Sadly for too many people, walking barefoot is not a choice but a necessity”, Nana Oye said Ghanaians had, since independence, been promised to be lifted out of extreme poverty but successive governments had done very little to minimize it.
“We call on government, as it begins extracting oil in commercial quantities, to remember the promises made to the Ghanaians since independence and eliminate poverty in the country”.
This year’s celebration is the 62nd since the United Nations proclaimed the day to be observed by all UN member states.
The walk, under the theme “Barefoot Against Poverty”, was in commemoration of the International Human Rights Day which fell on December 10.
It was attended by legal practitioners, civil society activists, media practitioners, foreign volunteers, and a section of the public.
Also in attendance was the Rastafarian hip-life musician, Emmanuel Owusu Bonsu, popularly known as ‘Wanlov Kubolor’, who in his daily life, walks barefooted.
Amidst singing and dancing, the activists began the 45-minute walk from the Supreme Court at 10:15 am, want through the High Street, and ended at the Independence Square.
The marchers, numbering about 80, wore white T-shirts with red scarves around their necks and heads.
The Executive Director of Human Rights Advocacy Centre, Nana Oye Lithur said the march aimed to raise awareness about the increasing rate of poverty in the country and its effects on human rights.
“Walking barefoot against poverty to mark human rights day is a way to connect with people and highlight the plight of those who struggle for access to the most basic of human rights,” she said.
“Sadly for too many people, walking barefoot is not a choice but a necessity”, Nana Oye said Ghanaians had, since independence, been promised to be lifted out of extreme poverty but successive governments had done very little to minimize it.
“We call on government, as it begins extracting oil in commercial quantities, to remember the promises made to the Ghanaians since independence and eliminate poverty in the country”.
This year’s celebration is the 62nd since the United Nations proclaimed the day to be observed by all UN member states.
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