Ghana's tortuous journey to democracy received a major boost in the year 2006 with the enactments of two human-rights-related pieces of legislation. In this article the author contends, on the one hand, that the recent enactments of an amendment to the law on representation of the people and the persons with disability law in Ghana constituted a noteworthy landmark in the search for inclusive citizenship. On the other hand, the relation between society and the political authority during the processes of the enactments highlighted characteristics of a post-colonial African state. The author explores the antagonisms that surrounded the enactments of these laws. The article concludes that although the Ghanaian experience represents a new wave of re-thinking of rights in Africa, it also underscores the deep-seated issues of contestation and negotiations that unavoidably accompany the expansion of democracy and extension of rights to the excluded and the marginalized.
This article examines the field of transitional justice, focusing on Ghana's approach to dealing with past violations of human rights. The article traces the growing world focus on human rights following the trials and conviction of World War II war criminals. It highlights mechanisms available to address human rights violations during transitions. It further discusses the rationale behind Ghana's choice of transitional justice model. The article argues and concludes that it was necessary for the newly democratic regime in Ghana to embark on such a process, and that Ghana's attempt to wipe the slate clean by addressing such existing acrimony and mistrust is necessary for nation building and for progress towards democratic consolidation.
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