“DEADLY WORK OR DECENT WORK?” BOOK AUTHOR, H.E. REV. DR. OCANSEY, PRESENTS ROADMAP FOR AFRICA TO MAKE A SHIFT FROM DEADLY TO DECENT WORK AT UN75 CELEBRATION
#UN75: HUMAN RIGHTS, GENDER ISSUES, DECENT WORK AND YOUTH ENGAGEMENT ACCORDING TO UN RESOLUTION 2250 MUST FIND ITS SECURE PLACE AT THE CENTER OF MULTILATERAL DIPLOMACY IN THIS COVID19 ERA AND BEYOND.”— H.E. REV DR. OCANSEY
NEW YORK, NEW YORK, USA, November 1, 2020 /EINPresswire.com/ — At the just ended UN75 celebration in Accra, the UNYA-Ghana, #Enddeadlywork Coalition and the Nekotech Center for Labour Migration Diplomacy jointly made a seven point petition to Ghana’s President Nana Akufo-Addo, read by the world renowned Rev. Dr. Lawrence Tetteh and the African Union Migration Expert and international best selling authour of “Deadly Work or Decent Work?”, H.E. Rev. Dr. Ocansey.
The petition singled out and prioritised an ECOWAS-Middle East Labour Migration Multilateral Dialogue inorder to make a shift from deadly to decent work for African women domestic workers. For those working in the Middle Eastern globally criticised slave-like employment system, Kafala – Covid19, coupled with the explosion in Lebanon has exacerbated the issue, making a bad situation, more deadly than ever before!
Over two thousand young women were recently rescued from Lebanon by the Government of Ghana. Thousands of African Women are currently stranded in Lebanon and other Middle Eastern kafala practicing nations from countries such as Ghana, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Gambia, Liberia, Ethiopia, Uganda, Kenya and others – are all faced with domestic workers who are now stranded, sick and suffering in Lebanon and other countries like Oman.
The “Deadly Work or Decent Work?” book, which was presented at the UN75 event, gave a shocking revelation of this kafala system, but also pointed to other Middle Eastern decent work employment systems plus a ten key roadmap African Governments can pursue to make the shift from deadly to decent work.
Dr. Ocansey indicated that the Bilateral agreements signed with kafala practicing receiving countries do not provide adequate protection once the domestic workers enter into the homes of their employers in the Middle East. Rape, sexual harrassment and abuse, may still happen under kafala Bilateral agreements. It is best to abolish Kafala like the UAE and Qatar have done, with Saudi Arabia being next, after announcing their plans to abolish kafala.
“Covid19 has taught us that our challenges are interconnected and can be best addressed through effective multilateralism,” said Dr. Ocansey.
“At the UN 75 meeting this year, Member States all agreed that multilateralism is not an option but a necessity, to build back better for a more equal, more resilient, and more sustainable world. We therefore petition H.E. President Nana Akufo-Addo, as Chair of ECOWAS, to initiate this long overdue ECOWAS/AFRICA-Middle East Multilateral Labour Migration Dialogue Platform, much like the Abu Dhabi Dialogue and the Colombo Process, which are doing well to help Asians have much better outcomes with the Gulf States/Middle East Labour Migration,” she concluded.
The highlights of the UN75 celebration was a UN Flag ceremony by the youth of the UNYA-Ghana and some of the returnees from Lebanon, as well as a highly spirited and emotionally charged Presidential and Diplomatic Award Ceremony. President Akufo-Addo was honoured with “Champion of Migrant Women’s Decent Work Award”, which was was received by Honourable Cynthia M. Morrison, Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection on behalf of the President. The award was presented by H.E. Rev. Dr. A.K. Ocansey and Rev. Dr. Lawrence Tetteh.
The other awardee was H.E. Ambassador Dr. Winfred Nii Okai Hammond, Ghana’s Ambassador to Egypt, with concurrent assignment to Lebanon, Sudan and Palestine. Ambassador Hammond was awarded the “Distinguished Diplomatic Service Award” for his outstanding rescue mission which saved the lives of over two thousand women from Lebanon. The award was presented by H.E. Lillian Addo, UNYA Country Head and Bishop Peter Kojo Sackey, UNYA-Ghana, founder.
Sheila, one of the domestic workers rescued from Lebanon, was among the women who were screaming uncontrollably, when Ambassador Hammond was given his award. Sheila said: “I may not be alive, if it had not been for this Ambassador,” she said with tears of joy in her eyes.
“My friend Patience, worked for nearly two years without any pay. The Lebanese family sent her to prison for three months when she asked for the rest of the salary owed her which amounted to three thousand US dollars. Now she is back in Ghana penniless. After being sexually harrassed and abused, many have nothing to show for it. This is a great injustice! We are so grateful to the UNYA-GHANA, Enddeadlywork Coalition and NEKOTECH for this petition! If it works we will be able to have a good life in Ghana and we will never dream of going overseas again! For now, we will be on our knees praying!” she said smiling.
Africa has multilateral migration platforms with Europe, and the Middle East has Multilateral platforms with Asia, but Africa and the Middle East are yet to have a multilateral labour migration platform. With the excellent leadership of President Nana Akufo-Addo, the ECOWAS region is uniquely positioned to lead Africa in this much needed Multilateral platform with the Middle East.
The UNYA-Ghana is a not for profit member based association of over 10,000 youth. The UNYA-Ghana was founded by Bishop Peter Kojo Sackey. H.E. Lillian Addo is the Country Head with Evangelist Safo as the head of operations.
The Nekotech Center is a not for profit NGO founded by the late USA mega star, Mr. Isaac Hayes and H.E. Rev Dr Ocansey. Nekotech Center is a Center of Excellence for Labour Migration and provides advisory services and workshops to African Governments.
The #Enddeadlywork Coalition is made up of over 25,000 high level activists and institutions globally, headed by USA seasoned human rights activist, Mr. Joel Seagal with Rev. Rod Sadler heading up the Inter-faith movement.
The book, “Deadly Work or Decent Work?” is available on amazon: https://amzn.to/30jM8Hm
Mr. Emma Broni
Nekotech Center for Labour Migration Diplomacy
TEN KEYS TO MAKING THE SHIFT: DEADLY WORK TO DECENT WORK