The Widows and Orphans Movement (WOM) in the Upper East Region, is calling on government and traditional authorities to as a matter of urgency take drastic measures to cut short the menace of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence in the region.
According to the movement, government and private institutions have made efforts towards promoting and protecting human rights yet, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence remains prevalent in the Upper East Region with women and girls being the most affected.
The legal reconciliatory committee member of the movement, Mrs. Evelyn Nyaaba, who read a statement on behalf of the women at a press conference in Bolgatanga appealed to government and traditional authorities to among other things, enact by-laws to regulate the closing time for late evening funerals and other social events in order to eradicate the canker.
“The National House of Chiefs should formulate policy guidelines to enable traditional rulers support and encourage timely reportage of criminal cases to the relevant authorities instead of resolving such cases at community level without providing justice to survivors. The Upper East Regional House of Chiefs should impress on traditional authorities to liaise with the local government structures to enact by-laws to regulate the closing time for late social events such as funerals, etc which are often avenues where sexual and gender-based violence is perpetuated on children below the ages of 18”. She stated.
The movement also went on to impress upon the government to adequately resource the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU), and other human rights promotion institutions so they can carry out intense community sensitization activities on Gender-Based Violence issues.
It said particular interest should be on tackling the problem of abuse of rights of women and children as well as dehumanizing widowhood rites, rapes, witchcraft accusations, forced and early marriages among others.
As part of its project, female traditional, religious, and community leaders from the Gundork, Logre, and Kongo communities in Nabdam District and Vea, Balungu, and Bongo Beo in the Bongo District held an engagement meeting on May 27, 2021, at the in-service training center in Bolgatanga to develop a policy statement to end Sexual and Gender-Based Violence in their communities.
Widows and Orphans Movement (WOM) which is a leading women’s organization in Ghana working with other partners to promote, uphold and protect the rights and dignity of widows and orphans and ensuring socio-cultural and economic justice for all, is an implementing partner on the ENOUGH Project.
The ENOUGH project, funded by the European Union, is implemented in Mali, Liberia, and Ghana to empower women, girls, boys, and men to take positive action in ending Sexual and Gender-Based Violence.
In Ghana, the project is led by Oxfam and WilDAF Ghana, providing support to nine local Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and women’s groups to champion the needs of women and girls who experience Gender-Based Violence.
The ENOUGH project also supports CSOs to influence communities and institutions to challenge harmful social norms and practices that reinforce the root causes of Gender-Based Violence.
Source|A1radioonline.com|101.1mhz|Elijah Beyeni Yenibey|Ghana
