Country detail - yourHRC.org

Ghana

Regional group:

African Group (AG)

Council member:

2006-2007

2007-2008

2008-2009

2009-2010

2010-2011

2011-2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

2023

2024

Council Bureau membership:	–
Coordinator of regional group:	–
Voluntary financial contribution to OHCHR (2023) :

Other HRC positions:	–
OHCHR presence:	– No field presence
NHRI accreditation status:	A

National Mechanisms for Implementation, Reporting, and Follow-up (NMIRF): Unknown

Engagement with the HRC

Principal sponsorship of HRC resolutions

Cooperation with the United Nations, its representatives and mechanisms in the field of human rights; Business and human rights: Working Group on the issue of human rights and transnational corporations and other business enterprises and improving accountability and access to remedy.

Voting record

Since it first became a member of the Council in 2006, Ghana has voted (in the absence of consensus) in favour of most item 4 (situations that require the Council’s attention) resolutions (i.e., on the situations in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, the Syrian Arab Republic, Belarus, and a 2016 text on Burundi); but it has tended to vote against or abstain during voting on the texts on the situations in Iran, Sudan, Belarus (except for the 2017 text – voted in favour) and a 2017 resolution on Burundi. It abstained during a number of votes on the situations in Belarus, the Islamic Republic of Iran, and Sudan. For item 7 resolutions (human rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territories), Ghana has normally voted in favour (though it abstained five times in 2015 and 2016). On item 10 resolutions (capacity-building), Ghana has joined consensus on all resolutions except for two that were voted on during the period of its membership: on cooperation with Ukraine (Ghana voted in favour in 2017), and on the situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (Ghana voted in favour in 2009). For thematic resolutions dealing with civil and political rights, Ghana has generally joined consensus. When there has been a vote, Ghana has generally voted in favour. Notable exceptions include resolutions on the question of the death penalty, use of mercenaries, sexual orientation, the effects of terrorism, defamation of religion, and torture (Ghana abstained). For thematic resolutions dealing with economic, social, and cultural rights, Ghana has either joined consensus on or has voted in favour of all adopted texts.

HRC participation

During HRC general discussions, panel debates and interactive dialogues with the Special Procedures, during the past three years, either as an HRC member or not, the State has joined:

262

Regional
group statements

Average of statements for all countries: 78

Subregional
group statements

Average of statements for all countries: 50

Political group
statements

Average of statements for all countries: 109

Cross-regional
group statements

Average of statements for all countries: 96

Other joint
statements

Average of statements for all countries: 5

HRC member empty chair?

Overall, as a HRC member, has participated in more than 10% of panel discussions, general debates and interactive dialogues.

Cooperation with international human rights system

Special Procedures

Standing invitation

Communications responded to / received

Visits requests status

Completed
Invitation sent by the State not (yet) accepted by the SP
Accepted / date set
Visit request by the SP and not (yet) accepted by the State
Postponed / cancelled

Longest visit request not (yet) accepted by the State >
SR on education, 2007

Treaty Bodies

Ratified

Reporting Status

Ratification status
Party Not Party
Individual complaint procedure accepted.
Reporting status

Submitted on time
Submitted late
Not applicable

On schedule
Overdue (outstanding)

CAT

ICCPR

CED

CEDAW

CERD

ICESCR

CRC

CRPD

Most overdue report

ICESRC
20 Years

OP-CAT

Ratified

NPM established

Received Sub-Committee visit

Universal Periodic Review

Reported

(2008, 2012, 2017)

Mid-term report

Level of delegation

Deputy Attorney General

Participation in other reviews
1^st cycle: 65 / 192

2^nd cycle: 101 / 192

Cooperation with the UN, its representatives and mechanisms in the field of human rights

Cited in the Secretary General’s reports on 'alleged reprisals for cooperation with the United Nations, its representatives and mechanisms in the field of human rights' (2010-2023)?

Fulfilment of past voluntary pledges & commitments

Specific voluntary pledges: 4

Ghana tabled ‘voluntary pledges and commitments’ in support of its candidacy for membership for the period 2015-2017 on 8 August 2014. At the international level, Ghana pledged to participate actively in the work of the Council; strengthen policies for the advancement of women; protect children’s rights; maintain a standing invitation to all Special Procedures mandate holders; fully cooperate with UN human rights Treaty Bodies and submit periodic reports promptly; and become a party to all core human rights instruments while implementing its treaty obligations.

An analysis of the steps taken by Ghana to fulfil its international pledges shows that Ghana has cooperated with Special Procedures by maintaining a Standing Invitation and fulfilling 9 out of 15 visit requests; however, it has responded to only one out of the six communications it received. Concerning cooperation with Treaty Bodies, Ghana has several overdue reports, with the ICESCR report overdue by around 20 years. Ghana has actively engaged in the UPR, participating in the reviews of and making recommendations for over 100 States during the second and third cycles. Ghana is yet to ratify the CED and to accept communications procedures under three of the treaties it has thus far ratified (CERD, CRC, and CESCR).

Ghana

African Group (AG)

Engagement with the HRC

Principal sponsorship of HRC resolutions

Voting record

HRC participation

HRC member empty chair?

Cooperation with international human rights system

Special Procedures

Standing invitation

Communications responded to / received

Visits requests status

Treaty Bodies

Ratified

Reporting Status

Universal Periodic Review

Participation in other reviews 1st cycle: 65 / 192

2nd cycle: 101 / 192

Cooperation with the UN, its representatives and mechanisms in the field of human rights

Fulfilment of past voluntary pledges & commitments

Specific voluntary pledges: 4

Participation in other reviews
1^st cycle: 65 / 192

2^nd cycle: 101 / 192