A new world order that will better handle conflicts, uphold justice, restore faith in the leadership of all spheres of society, give people hope and optimism, and advance peace, love, and happiness has been advocated by Speaker of the Parliament Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin.
Given the UN Charter’s inadequacy in the face of contemporary global realities, the Rt. Honourable Speaker Bagbin also suggested reforming it to make it more inclusive, democratic, responsive, and in line with contemporary governance requirements and structure. This will help to create an equitable, just, and sustainable future for all people, prescribe behaviour, and enact enforceable laws to regulate national conduct in areas where the UN is most challenged.
Speaking at the 24th International Conference of Chief Justices from Around the World, which was sponsored by the City Montessori School in Lucknow, India, with sixty-three (63) participating countries, Rt. Hon. Bagbin addressed the audience on the topic of “Uniting the world for children through enforceable world law and effective global governance.”
The Rt Honourable Speaker Bagbin envisioned and suggested a new global government structure with four equal arms: the legislative, executive, judicial, and civil society (including the media) to establish the new world order.
He declared. CSOs, according to Bagbin once more, are the foundation of constructive change that may support revolutionary reforms and ensure that national and international authorities are held responsible for their deeds.
He emphasized his point by saying, “Let’s face it, legislators around the world have not been able to hold the executive branch accountable to the people or shed light on its activities; they have also not been successful in self-regulation or post-legislation examination. The four proposed institutions for global governance must function according to the principles of accountability, openness, transparency, and checks and balances. They also need to be genuinely equal.
Rt. Hon. Bagbin told the participants that as leaders, they had a responsibility to ensure that they bequeath to the next generation an inhabitable world, that meets the aspirations of the youth, and that secures the integrity and dignity of the human race.
He also touched on contemporary global challenges requiring concerted and urgent attention. According to him, the depletion of the ozone layer, global water scarcity, hunger, poor sanitation, the loss of biodiversity and extinction of certain species due to the exponential population growth are areas which need immediate attention. He again highlighted conflicts in the Korean Peninsula, Russia-Ukraine, the Sahel, Israel-Hamas, and issues around Artificial Intelligence (AI), and its potential existential threat to humanity.
In all these, he intimated the need for the global community to prioritise laws and governance interventions that safeguard the future of children and develop mechanisms to hold governments accountable for their acts that violate children’s rights such as child labour, child marriages, trafficking, and exploitation.
Speaker Bagbin took the opportunity to encourage governments across the globe to protect children’s rights and guarantee their survival and development, by upholding their legal obligations under the UN Conventions on the Rights of the Child. “We must ensure all children are allowed to be children, to grow, learn, and play in a safe, inclusive and caring environment, and in dignity”.
Furthermore, he advised the youth at the conference to remain optimistic and focus on developing an international community that cares for all.
“You have innovation and energy to build a better society. You are the best placed to lead this transformation. You must compel governments to consider more resilient safety nets for the vulnerable, and demand participation in government”. He admonished.
