West Africa: ECOWAS Radio Celebrates Human Rights Day

19 January 2023
The New Dawn (Monrovia)

In formal celebration of the ECOWAS Human Rights Day on January 16, 2023, ECOWAS Radio rolled out exciting programs to commemorate the Day.

January 16, 2023, marks 17 years since H.E. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf was sworn in as the first woman to be elected as president of an African country.

In recognition of this achievement, in 2016, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) designated January 16 as Human Rights Day, to be observed in the region annually in former President Sirleaf's honor, for her unwavering support to the regional goal of the advancement of the promotion and protection of human rights for the benefit of ordinary ECOWAS citizens.

Following the tradition of the Sub-regional body, ECOWAS Radio hosted series of on-air programs with personalities from the medical sector, legal community, the physically-challenged, the media, youth, women's groups, civil society and the labor sector.

The guests also paid glowing tributes to ECOWAS for selecting a specific day to focus on human rights issues in the community.

The day was celebrated under the theme: "Guaranteeing the Elderly and Disabled Rights to Access Food Amid Food Crisis".

Former Liberian President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, in a special interview with ECOWAS Radio, termed the naming of the Human Rights Day in her honor, as a befitting tribute to the contributions of women to peace, democracy and development in the sub-region.

"We all must work together as leaders and citizens of the community to help ensure dignity for the elderly and the disabled," Former President Sirleaf noted.

"And we can do that by working collectively to create an environment where access to food for the elderly is a prioritY," the former President Sirleaf added.

The public also had an opportunity to participate in the various programs by calling in and making contributions, with many celebrating ECOWAS for its pivotal role in promoting the human rights and dignity of citizens and residents of the community.

Read the original article on New Dawn.

Tagged:
Copyright © 2023 The New Dawn. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections — or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here.

AllAfrica publishes around 500 reports a day from more than 100 news organizations and over 500 other institutions and individuals, representing a diversity of positions on every topic. We publish news and views ranging from vigorous opponents of governments to government publications and spokespersons. Publishers named above each report are responsible for their own content, which AllAfrica does not have the legal right to edit or correct.

Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica. To address comments or complaints, please Contact us.