The West African Association for Commonwealth Literature and Language Studies (WAACLALS) has ended its three-day second international conference (WAACLALS 2019) hosted by the Takoradi Technical University, Takoradi-Ghana.

It was under the theme “Re-thinking Human (in)dignity, Human (in)security and Social Development in Africa” with a communique.

A five-point communique drew attention to health issues such as hygiene and sanitation, marginalisation of women in policy making, detoxification/deregulation for a healthy society, Hybridisation of African and Western ideologies and Adherence to the rule of law in matters of governance and human rights.

The conference noted with concern that, six decades after abolition of the trade in slaves, Africa was still confronted with variants of human indignity which posed significant challenges to human security with hygiene and sanitation issues paramount.

The conference called on individuals to champion the challenge of sanitation from homes, streets, gutters, university campuses and neighbourhoods ahead of government interventions.

The conference was of the view that the marginalisation of women in policy directions and policy making remained inimical to their development and the development of societies, noting that pushing the development agenda without conscious inclusion of women remained comparable to walking on one foot while it was far better walking on two feet.

The Communique said the proliferation of mass and social media, freedom of expression had become even more accessible characterised with unhealthy posture, verbal assault and sometimes hate speeches which did not augur well for social cohesion.

Accordingly, some pronouncements signal forms of insecurity, and it was important that society became concerned about such pronouncements and their implications for human security and social development.

The WAACLALS 2019 was convinced that the merging of Africa and Western ideologies where applicable, would do the continent a lot of good rather than complete importation and implementation of western ideologies, “What makes us Africans and we must make conscious efforts at developing our African identity”, the communique suggested.

It also called for the adherence to the rule of law in matters of governance as well as human rights and said the rule of law in matters of governance and human rights should underpin the governance structure in order to place everyone on restricted limits within all schemes of affairs, towards ensuring equality before the law.

The communique called for proactive steps by state actors to act with urgency on the issues raised towards restoring human dignity, human security and social development in Africa.