Law and Human Rights Projects in Ghana

Life in Accra, the capital of Ghana, might be far removed from working in London but, as a former British colony, the Ghanaian legal system is based on English Common Law. This means that if you are in training, or already practising law in countries such as the UK, US, Canada or Australia, the experience could be not only interesting but invaluable.

The sort of experience that you can gain working in Accra looks good on any CV whether you are a gap year student looking to impress your prospective university or a law graduate looking to gain a slightly different holiday placement from those on offer at home. International experience is something which law firms will certainly be pleased to see when recruiting students.

You will have the choice of a placement at a business and commercial law firm or you could join our Human Rights Law placement.

Business and Commercial Law

We'll place you with a law firm in Accra. The firm mainly focuses on Corporate Practice, Trade and Investment and Environmental law with projects involving litigation, drafting commercial and tenancy agreements, points of criminal law and arbitration.

Mornings are usually spent in court, shadowing the lawyers and observing and taking notes on the court sessions. You will often be expected to arrive at work by 8am ready to leave for court by 8.30am. Afternoons can be spent carrying out legal research, writing letters, drafting court documents, or attending meetings. Your supervisor is a specialist in Corporate and Commercial practice including negotiation of commercial and business contracts and other varied agreements. Your supervisor will take into consideration how much prior experience you have when setting you tasks, and if you have an interest in a particular area this can usually be catered for.

You will be expected to take initiative in asking for work and asking to accompany lawyers to court. You should not be afraid to make sure that you understand a task before you start it; and the lawyers will not mind you seeking clarification from them.

The law courts close over the summer period from the start of July to the end of October and taking part in the Business and Commercial Law placement is not possible during this time. However, all volunteers can join the Human Rights project in order to maintain a full workload.

Human Rights Law

This exciting project has grown out of our long-standing law programme in Ghana. For several years we have organised placements for law volunteers who were interested in a human-rights focus to their work. Now we are partnering the Ghana office of the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI).

Ghana is one of the most stable and well-governed countries in Africa. The rule of law is applied. However, there are still many problems, largely stemming from the fact that, among ordinary Ghanaians, awareness of their own rights and of how the legal system operates is very low. On this project, you will work to increase knowledge of basic human rights and to ensure that ordinary people understand what protections they are entitled to by law. Current areas of focus include Prison Reform, Police Accountability, Women's Rights, Election Monitoring and the Right to Information.

The role of volunteers varies according to experience and areas of interest. All volunteers will have the opportunity to attend court regularly, and you may be asked to monitor and report on proceedings. Volunteers also carry out research and produce reports, questionnaires and other resources. You could be writing a questionnaire to assess knowledge of children's rights among medical practitioners, or producing a briefing paper outlining CHRI's position on detention conditions in rural areas.

Volunteers are encouraged to make good use of the local media, by writing articles on social themes and even appearing on radio debates. You may also find yourself visiting schools, community groups or rural villages, to give presentations and advice sessions about aspects of civil rights. You will probably also be asked to write a report of your work for the CHRI Ghana newsletter website. Whatever your level of qualification, there is plenty to get involved in here and you will be kept busy!

CHRI itself is a major organisation that also operates in Asia. The Accra office is the base for the organisation's work in Africa. Placements at CHRI Ghana are ideal for law students or graduates wanting worthwhile practical experience in the human rights field. It is also open to pre-university students or those studying other subjects. The minimum that we require is that you have reasonable writing skills and a genuine commitment to human rights. This is a professional placement. You will sometimes be working to deadlines, and you are likely to be asked to represent CHRI at various meetings and events. We need volunteers to help with the work of CHRI, and it is an exceptional opportunity to gain unrivalled experience for anyone interested in human rights in Africa.

To read a more detailed information about this project, you may visit our Volunteer Law & Human Rights in Ghana specialized website.

Ghanaian lawyers

The Law Courts in Accra

Volunteer with local Barrister