The Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection in Partnership with Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA) has ended a community durbar on ending sexual and gender based violence in the Bongo district of the Upper East region.
Gender based violence is a phenomenon of epidemic proportions prevalent in many families, communities, societies and cultures across the globe. Many women and girls, and to a lesser degree men and boys, either directly or indirectly experience or face the consequence of some form of gender based violence in their lifetime.
Gender based violence manifests itself in multiple forms and involves a wide variety of perpetrators from intimate partners and family members, to strangers and institutional actors such as police, teachers and solders.
Intimate partners’ violence is the most pervasive form of gender-based violence experienced by women and girls. In Ghana it is reported that one out of three have experienced some form of violence in the lifetime. According to the 2014 statistics from DOVVSU, out of the 17,778 cases of various forms of violence received nationwide, 4,415 were assault on women, 335 were rape cases and defilement of girls accounts for 1,296. Statistic from the Gender Studies and Human Rights Documentation Centre(1999) also indicates that one out of three women has been physically assaulted by partners, 27% of women have been sexually assaulted in their life time and one in three women has been fondled or touched against her will.
Speaking at a two day sensitization program on sexual and gender based violence in Bongo, Programs Manager at the Gender Ministry Petra DeGraft-Johnson said statistics show that Bongo district records more cases on Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV) in the Upper East region and that has necessitated the selection of the district for the campaign on ending Sexual and Gender Based Violence.
The program brought together chiefs, opinion leaders and members of the community to trigger deliberations on how to curtail the situation. Ms. Petra said it is obvious that community Heads such as chiefs and opinion leaders all have a role to play in ending gender violence. She added that SGBV would only be reduced if all stakeholders play their roles effectively and efficiently.
Paramount chief of the Bongo traditional area Naaba Baba Salifu Aleemyaarum who was present at the durbar called on men in the community to appreciate their wives and avoid unnecessary harassment whenever a little misunderstanding ensues.
He commended the Ministry of Gender and Social Protection for the campaign and commitment to help end Sexual and Gender Based Violence in his district. The Bongo District Director of CHRAG Ayuure Amos also addressed the durbar on causes of Sexual and Gender violence and how to report such cases at their district offices. According to him Domestic Violence is no respecter of gender or sex.
By: Ngamegbulam Chidozie Stephen | A1RADIOONLINE.com | GHANA
