The Ministry of Gender, Children, and Social Protection (MoGCSP) yesterday launched the ‘16 Days Activism against Sexual and Gender-Based Violence’ in Accra, an initiative aimed at uniting the global community against violence towards women and girls.
The launch which coupled with a healthy walk from the Ministry Office through the Liberation Road, through the Kojo Thompson Road to Kwame Nkrumah Interchange was to commemorate the international campaign observed from November 25 to December 10, 2024.
Organised by MoGCSP in partnership with the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU), United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and MTN Ghana, the campaign was on the theme; “30 Years after the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action: Unite to End Violence against Women and Girls in Ghana.”
Launching the campaign, the Minister of MoGCSP, Ms Dakoa Newman, said the 16 Days of Activism was a mobilising strategy to call on decision-makers, and stakeholders to come together, reflect, and take action on issues affecting the holistic development of women and girls.
She noted that millions of women and girls all over the world become victims of various forms of violence, including domestic abuse every year which manifests into physical, emotional, sexual and economic forms, as well as through systemic barriers such as the denial of opportunities for their development.
“According to the 2016 Domestic Violence Survey in Ghana, commissioned by the Ministry, approximately 27.7 per cent of Ghanaian women reported experiencing at least one form of domestic violence- whether physical, economic, psychological, social, or sexual-in their lifetime.”
“Additionally, the 2017 and 2018 Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey revealed that around 38.2 per cent of adolescent girls aged 15 to 19, had experienced at least one act of sexual violence,” she stated.
Touching on the theme, the Minister underscored that it was a call to action for governments, decision-makers to reflect on the commitments made at the 1995 Beijing Conference.
In order to improve prevention, response and reintegration of abused women and girls, she stated that, her ministry in collaboration with the UNFPA, established the Orange Support Centre which provides critical services, including counselling, legal advice, and medical support, and operates a toll-free line (0800-111-222) for reporting abuse.
“Since its inception in 2021, the centre has handled 718 cases, resolving and closing 547, with 171 cases still ongoing.
In addition, the Ministry had trained over 180 market executives as paralegals across six markets in Accra and in four regions, and 105 service providers were trained in the Essential Services Package for Women and Girls subjected to violence, she stated.
On his part, the Country Representative of UNFPA in Ghana, Dr David Wilfred Ochan, said the campaign was an innovative social-drive designed to galvanise support against gender-based violence from transport operators and users in the country and call to action to work together to create a safer, more equitable environment for all.
He emphasised the critical role that the transport sector played in shaping public attitudes towards GBV, “Public transport represents a microcosm of our communities.”
BY CECILIA LAGBA YADA AND EMMANUELLA MBAMA AKIMBI
