Accra, Dec. 16, GNA - Ten Muslim leaders from Ghana are undergoing an advance training in Human Rights as part of efforts to promote a community of wellbeing.
The 10-day training, which is being held at the Tostan Training Centre at the Thies Municipality, Senegal, is an integral part of the annual religious leaders seminar which began in 2015.
It is being funded by the Carter Center of Atlanta, USA, an organisation founded by the former United States President, Jimmy Carter.
About 587 people from 49 countries across the globe have so far benefited from the training in 27 sessions from March 2015, till date, with 106 Ghanaian Muslim leaders (Males and females) participating.
This year's seminar is on the theme: "Promoting Community Wellbeing" and is to identify new frontiers and strategies in Muslim communities, focusing on religious and traditional leaders as agents of social change.
The theme according to the Carter Center was appropriate in trying to tackle the current challenges faced by the Muslim communities in West Africa.
Participants included; leaders of various Muslim Civil Society organisations, Heads of non-profit Organisations, Traditional Heads, Imams, Muslim Women and Youth leaders.
The participants will undergo various topics related to the seminar theme such as; the theories of well-being, capacity to aspire, gender roles, harmful social norms, collective problem solving, human rights instruments and alignment of human rights with religion.
Birima Fall, the Coordinator of the Tostan Training Center in a welcome address assured participants of their readiness for and inspired them to work hard to serve as worthy goodwill ambassadors of their respective countries.
Laura M. Oslon, Director of Human Rights Programme at the Carter Center said the training was set to equip participants with knowledge and skills to work in their respective communities using an integrated approach to promote community wellbeing.
Speaking on the sidelines of the training, Alhaji Khuzaimah Osman, Personal Assistant to the National Chief of Ghana said: “This training sought to orient Muslim leaders in Ghana on leadership and institutional development."
He noted that institutional development was one of the areas affecting the progress of Muslims in Ghana.
Alhaji Osman said, the declining propagation of Islam, lack of human rights awareness creation, entrepreneurship development, and inadequate institutional and organizational development within Muslim organisations were among the key challenges that required immediate attention for the promotion of Community wellbeing among Muslims.
This, he said was partly why Muslim leaders were engaged by organisations like Tostan and the Carter Center, to enhance their entrepreneurial, leadership and managerial skills.
Chief Alhaji Imoro Baba Issah, Spokesperson of the Council of Muslims Chiefs in Ghana said, there was the need for Muslim leaders to move from deliberations to action by collaborating with traditional leaders to achieve holistic community wellbeing.
Hajia Aishatu Abdul-Kadiri, the National Secretary of FOMWAG said, it was crucial for women to partner men in contributing to decision making processes at all levels.
She said, the core values of the training was to empower women and girls to be exposed to the various articles and principles of human rights enshrined in the Quran and the hadiths for development.
"The Girl-Child by this tool should be encouraged to understand the opportunities and challenges within her environment, by which she can further explore to make meaningful and positive informed choices with regards to her education, career and marriage life.
"The women on the other hand can make meaningful contributions at the family and community levels that will result in the greatest good, that's for development".
GNA
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