The Hope For Future Generations (HFFG), a Non-governmental Organisation will implement a “Violence Against Women (VAW) watchers group” programme in selected mining communities in the Western region.
The programme would be used to mobilise marginalised and socially excluded women and girls in and around mining areas to speak against gender-based violence.
The NGO, dedicated to promoting equal opportunities for women, children and young people would soon launch a new programme to end violence against women.
This was made known in a press statement issued and copied to the Ghana News Agency by HFFG and her partners, the Ghana Refugee Board, Palladium and WILDAF on the International day for the elimination of violence against women which falls on November, 25 of every year.
The theme for this year’s celebration was “Leave no one behind: end violence against women and girls”.
The statement said the programme was in line with this year’s 16 days of activism against gender-based violence campaign, and would also link women and girls to social justice institutions such as the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU) of the Ghana Police Service and social welfare to ensure their safety.
This intervention, according to HFFG was part of its ‘Golden Line’ project funded by SIMAVI, Health Entrepreneurs, Solidaridad in collaboration with the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The statement said data obtained from DOVVSU and hospitals across the country indicated that reported cases of sexual violence crimes included; domestic violence, rape, human trafficking, forced marriage and defilement were still increasing in many communities across the country with women, girls and children being the most affected.
It said media reports this year revealed that at least one incidence of sexual violence was reported every week.
“However, there is no telling how many of these crimes go unreported and how many victims are suffering silently as research indicates that Ghanaian women face barriers in reporting violence.”
These obstacles, the statement noted, were rooted in the cultural belief that domestic and sexual violence was a private and household matter that should be addressed outside of the criminal justice system.
Again, the statement said a public health report for instance showed that 33 to 37 per cent of women in Ghana had experienced intimate partner violence in the course of their relationship, whilst in Ghanaian schools, studies found that 14 per cent of girls were victims of sexual abuse with a further 52 percent having experienced gender-based violence.
The HFFG said it therefore strongly believed that identifying and strengthening community, women leadership, victims of VAW and men who would stand for women’s rights would contribute to eliminating VAW in society.
The statement said this required a paradigm shift from the current situation where in Ghana, the fight against gender-based violence was perceived to be solely dependent on social justice institutions with little accountability expected from community members and leaders to bring perpetrators to book.
The statement has therefore appealed to the police, judiciary and the government to pay urgent attention to issues of sexual violence to help save innocent lives.
GNA/Newsghana.com.gh
