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Thursday, 25 June 2015 15:11

Adopting human face -approach in tackling global issues BY ITUAH AYEWOH

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There can be no more auspicious time than now for world leaders to opt for a more humane approach in their handling of the socio-economic and political issues in the world. The world and humanity in general are suffering from an acute depression of emotional neglect caused by many of the present prevailing socio-economic and political policies being used as reform models.

Heads of State and leaders of the industrialised nations are urged to be more considerate in their decision and policy making. The leaders of the mega corporations are also enjoined to join the compassion force for humane decision-making because they too are influential as they do make inputs into decisions taken by world leaders.
The way we feel (our emotions) cannot simply be ignored or brushed aside in the face of these policies and their effects as they are seen around us. Our emotions act as independent checks upon whatever policy laid before us and help in the assessment of the situation.

To be more humane, simply means, to put ourselves in the shoes of others, and see how it fits to be in them when reflecting on their fate! It is only in so doing we can feel the plight in which they are and make informed decisions and policies.

The notion of compassion has already taken roots among some well meaning groups. For example, the fight against drugs by the United Nations(UN) Drugs Commission, chaired by Richard Branson. Mr Branson and his team think the fight against drugs are a health issue rather than a criminal one and that the affected persons need medical care and attention instead of criminal justice and they are calling on nations to have a rethink!
Also, they think the ongoing war on drugs has caused more violence and addiction without deterring its use as such, hence they reckon it should be seen as a failed policy consuming a lot of government funds without the desired results.

Mr Branson, particularly sighted Portugal as a country which has achieved remarkable success since its ten-year programme of decriminalization of drug use. He says Portugal's lenient and humane view of the drug situation has made it to record the highest fall in drug use in any country, adding that nation offers medical assistance and counselling to drug users instead of prison sentences which he says is drastically different to the criminal policy on drugs and the escalated war it has caused in the United States and Britain to mention, but a few countries.
This humane approach has proved wrong the assumption that taking a lenient approach to the drug crisis would proliferate its use.

Other issues like the controversy of the death penalty, economic policies and grants towards poor nations, conflict resolution in unstable regions, etc can all be tackled from a humane point of view.

The results achieved with the same leniency in drug war can also be replicated in these areas.

Read 1780 times Last modified on Wednesday, 14 October 2015 11:23
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