Theses

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A long essay or dissertation or thesis involving personal research, written by postgraduates of University of Ghana for a university degree.

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    Ghana-Cote D’ivoire Relations in Post ITLOS Maritime Boundary Judgement
    (University Of Ghana, 2019-07) Narh, G.A.M.K.
    The continent of Africa and natural resources are two things that are always placed together, be it negatively or positively. The vast wealth in natural resources has brought the continent to its knees due to the sheer violence and instability it caused in years past. In contemporary times, there have been newer discoveries such as oil, gas, uranium and others but this has led to some natural-resource-based boundary conflicts among some African states. A case in point is the maritime boundary dispute between Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire. This study sought to assess how the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) judgement has been implemented by the two states and assesses their reactions and relations after the verdict has been given and its directives operationalized. The study uses a qualitative approach as it explores the field of natural resource-based conflicts in Africa and specifically delves into the ITLOS judgement on the Ghana- Cote d’Ivoire dispute. The research findings include the fact that the implementation process for the judgement’s directives have been peaceful and this is related as normal state practice for countries that resort to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) settlement bodies. It also finds that the implementation process of the judgement has led to an upsurge in cooperation between the two states in multiple sectors yielding significant mutual benefits and greatly improving bilateral relations. The research recommended that the two states should focus on implementing all the directives of the judgement and must seek to secure sustainable bilateral cooperation.
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    Child Refugee Issues in Africa: An Examination of the Effects of Refugee Crisis on African Children, Specifically Children from South Sudan and Cote D’ivoire.
    (University of Ghana, 2019-07) Gaba, S.A.
    Background The estimated population of forcibly displaced people worldwide as of 2017 was about 68.5 million. Out of this number, 25.4 million were refugees. By these figures, there was an increase in the number of refugees by 2.9 percent from the figures recorded for the immediately preceding year - 2016 figures. As at the end of 2018, 19.9 million refugees were under the mandate of United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) whiles the other 5.4 million were under the mandate of United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA).1 Of these 25.4 million refugees, 52% of them were children and this represented more than half of the refugee population.2 Impliedly, there are more refugee children worldwide than adult refugees. Refugee children are confronted with multiple stressors which undermine their health (physical and psychological) and general wellbeing. Some of the challenges or stressors also extend to their education and physiological needs such as food, clothing and shelter. What is more, many of these refugee children are under the age of 8. They are, however, accustomed to a life of conflict and violence which is all they know and these conflicts or violent environment in which they grow up undoubtedly take a toll on their lives.3 Some are detached from the biological parents, having been displaced, and are stuck with strangers. Where they are lucky, some family members accompany them. Otherwise, they move about unaccompanied even in foreign countries. The usual observation is that natural disasters, famine, outbreak of highly contagious diseases, political violence including electoral disputes, ethnic conflicts, wars and other factors forcibly displace people including children. They had to relocate or better still, they are displaced because their present location, which hitherto was habitable, is no longer conducive for them to live in. These will be demonstrated in the course of this paper
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    The Rights Of Internally Displaced Persons In Africa: The Case Of Cote D’ivoire
    (University of Ghana, 2013-11) Conde, M.O.
    This study aims at highlighting the plight of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), the grave violations of human rights they are victims of and the multiple difficulties they find themselves in for being forcibly displaced, on the one hand, and the absence of internationally recognized legal instruments on the rights of IDPs and institution with the specific mandate of protection and assistance to internally-displaced persons (IDPs), on the other hand. This work focuses on Cote d’Ivoire as a case-study. It aims at finding the extent to which the absence of specific legal instruments and institutions for the protection and promotion of the rights of IDPs has affected the case of IDPs in that country. To do so, the work reviews the international bill of rights comprising the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenants on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and their implementation mechanisms. In addition, the work examines, inter alia, the provisions of international humanitarian law (in particular, the four Geneva Conventions and Additional Protocols) and the African human rights protection system to determine the alternate ways that can be found to ensure IDPs the full enjoyment of all their human rights. Finally, the work examines the new African Union Convention for the Protection and Assistance of Internally Displaced Persons and its effectiveness or otherwise in filling the gaps and weaknesses identified in the international system. The findings conclude that though there is no internationally recognized Convention on the rights of IDPs, IDPs’ rights can be deduced from existing provisions and can be enforced through existing mechanisms. With respect to the African Convention for the Protection and Assistance of Internally Displaced Persons, the work concludes that it serves as an important instrument to anchor the rights of IDPs in treaty law and that it is an effective protective mechanism for IDPs in African and can serve as a guide for other regional systems or the UN. However, it also possesses its own weaknesses which the work seek to expose and address. The study ends by recommending to the international community, including United Nations, its agencies and partners, governments and civil society organizations to take certain practical steps towards the elaboration of a Convention on the protection and promotion of the rights of IDPs and designate or create a UN agency with the mandate of protection of IDPs.