In January 2002, as Ghana was emerging from 45 years of intermittent authoritarian and military rule, a nine-member National Reconciliation Commission (NRC) was established to inquire into past human rights abuse, recommend reparations and reform, and foster reconciliation.
Senior Associate Vasuki Nesiah and Documentation Officer Eric Darko have assisted the NRC through various phases of its work. Together with the CDD-Ghana, the Center drafted a briefing paper on reparations law and policy to help the Commission develop its own recommendations. The ICTJ also conducted capacity-building workshops and provided technical assistance in an effort to ensure that the NRC's work is responsive to victims' rights and needs and has an enduring impact.
As the NRC nears the end of its term, the Center has emphasized the importance of ensuring that the Commission's recommendations are fully implemented. The ICTJ will continue to work with the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice, the Attorney General’s department, the Law Reform Commission, and other organizations that will carry on the work on accountability and reform. The Attorney General has requested that the Center conduct training on institutional reform initiatives. The ICTJ has also organized workshops on topics including advocacy strategies and gender issues. The Center has collected material documenting the NRC’s work (including video documentation of its public hearings) and is studying the impact of the Commission to identify lessons to be learned.
Link to Event
The National Reconciliation Commission Confronts Ghana's Past
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