Abstract:
The study examined how legal rules can be used to enforce human rights and constitutional
principles in order to facilitate poverty reduction in Ghana. It also examined how human rights
and poverty relate and the relevance of that relation to poverty reduction. In addition, the study
examined the concepts of human rights and poverty as well as the rights based approach to
poverty reduction. It is argued in the study that the objects of human rights are required to reduce
poverty.
The methodology used in the study was library based. It took the form of a review of relevant
literature on poverty, human rights and the rights based approach to poverty reduction. It also
took the form of a discussion of relevant provisions of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana and other
legislation. The methodology also took the form of a discussion of selected cases decided by the
Supreme Court of Ghana.
The conclusion from the study is that is a link between poverty and human rights. It has also
been established that the legal enforcement of human rights and rights based principles can
facilitate poverty reduction. The challenge, however, for the poor is the economic constraints
they face that make it difficult for them to utilize avenues that exist for the vindication of their
rights. It is therefore suggested that institutions like the Legal Aid Board and the Commission on
Human Rights and Administrative Justice should be sufficiently resourced as well as their
mandate also ought to be amplified so as to enable them assist the poor and vulnerable in society
assert their legal rights under the law.
