THE VOLUNTARY PRINCIPLES ON SECURITY AND HUMAN RIGHTS (VPS) INITIATIVE

THE VOLUNTARY PRINCIPLES ON SECURITY AND HUMAN RIGHTS (VPS) INITIATIVE

The Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights (VPs) Initiative provide governments and industry players, as well as civil society organizations, an opportunity to improve upon protection of human rights in the extractive industry. Ghana became the first African government participant in March 2014.

The Government of Ghana is a key promoter and beneficiary of the mining industry, therefore Government has a duty to ensure that mining is done responsibly and in a way that does not promote conflict, human right abuses and insecurity. In Ghana, where mining contributes about 6% of GDP, and represent a significant portion of government revenues for funding local and national development projects, it is particularly important to us that we support and contribute to processes that will enable us make the most of our mineral resources whilst ensuring that it does not engender human rights abuses and poverty. It is within this context that Ghana signed on the VPs initiative.

Links for further information:

http://www.voluntaryprinciples.org/;

http://www.voluntaryprinciples.org/for-governments/;

http://www.voluntaryprinciples.org/for-companies/;

http://www.voluntaryprinciples.org/for-ngos/; and

http://www.voluntaryprinciples.org/resources/