Ghana’s new President John Mahama and his government must seize the opportunity of his mandate to ensure the promotion and protection of human rights including gender equality and women’s rights, the right to freedom of peaceful assembly, and the right to a healthy environment for everyone in the country, Amnesty International said today, as he is sworn into office.

Amnesty International is issuing an urgent call for an immediate ceasefire by all parties in the occupied Gaza Strip and Israel to prevent further loss of civilian lives and to ensure access to life-saving aid for people in Gaza amidst an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe.