Women who break the mold. Nana Oye Bampoe Addo, Human Rights Lawyer and Activist
09/05/2022
The 19th and 20th May, a hundred of women leaders from Africa, Latin America and Europe will hold a major meeting in Madrid. Under the name ‘Women’s Bridges. Proposals from the South for global change’, they will debate the major issues of concern to the global population. The aim is to ensure that they are heard and taken into account. To this end, they will prepare a document with proposals which will be presented to the international community.
In this section we introduce you to some of these leaders. They are all women who will impress you. We have made the choice of presenting you those who are going to be the coordinators of the different working groups, but you will find biographies of all the participants on this website.
Today we introduce you to NANA OYE BAMPOE ADDO, who co-ordinates the working group “Social policies and public goods”
Nana Oye Bampoe Addo is a fierce advocate for human rights in Ghana. She seems to have a special sensitivity to detect the injustices suffered by the most vulnerable, which has led her to dedicate her life to fighting for the rights of women, children, LGBTI people, the poorest and those suffering from any abuse or discrimination.
She is a lawyer by profession and former Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection between 2013 and 2017. Her mandate saw the development of many social protection policies and she faced opposition from those who did not share her legislative advances to give gay people the same rights as any other citizen.
In a long list of commitments and responsibilities we have found her directing the Human Rights Advocacy Centre, advising the International Consortium on Reproductive Rights, on the steering committee of the International Consortium on Abortion, in the International Network of Freedom of Information Advocates, in the secretariat of the International Federation of Women Lawyers, as a drafter of the NEPAD report on Ghana… It is almost impossible to name them all. It should also be noted that he has spearheaded campaigns to investigate human rights violations in Ghana.
Nana Oye is a firm believer in the inclusion of women in all spheres of society and especially in politics, where they can exert influence.
Lately we have seen her denouncing an increase in rapes and sexual assaults on women in Ghana, such as the lynching of a woman accused of witchcraft, or calling for an investigation into child adoption. She thinks that the pandemic set back many gains made in child marriage or domestic abuse.
Her work has earned her numerous awards and recognition.
(Translated by Alba González Pascual, Student trainee, Universidad de Alcalá de Henares)
#SouthWomenBridges
