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Ghana: Human Rights violations in the context of large-scale mining

FIAN International, in cooperation with FIAN Ghana and the Wassa Association of Communities affected by mining (WACAM) has recently submitted to the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights on human rights violations in the context of large-scale mining in Ghana.

The submission is focussing on the development of the situation since 2004. During this period, the expansion of existing as well as the development of new mining operations and the related deployment of the military and Police to the mining areas has led to serious human rights violations. However, the underlying problem is the conflict over access to and control over natural resources like land and water between local communities and multinational mining companies.

The submission was made as part of the UN Council for Human Rights’ universal periodic review on Ghana. The human rights situation in Ghana will be discussed by the Council in May and June this year. In this context mining related human rights violations, especially the increasing militarization in the mining communities and violations of economic, social and cultural rights are important topics to be discussed.