The Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection (MoGCSP) through the Domestic Violence Secretariat (DVS) with support from United Nations in Ghana, European Union in Ghana, OXFAM in Ghana and other partners organized a media launch on Wednesday, 24th November, 2021 to mark this year’s ’16 days of Activism Against Sexual and Gender Based Violence’ with a pledge to challenge every form of violence against women and girls.
The 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence is an annual international campaign that kicks off on 25th November (International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women) and runs until 10th December (Human Rights Day).
It is an international campaign to fight violence against women and girls.
This year’s campaign is themed “Orange the World: End Violence against Women Now.”
The theme aims to bring together civil society and women’s rights organizations, as well as the UN system, the Action Coalition on Gender-Based Violence, and government partners, to advocate for inclusive, comprehensive, and long-term strategies, programs, and resources to prevent and eliminate violence against women and girls.
Delivering the keynote address on behalf of the caretaker Minister for Gender, Children, and Social Protection Hon. Cecilia Abena Dapaah, the Chief Director for the Ministry, Dr. Afisah Zakariah said violence against women and girls continues to be a barrier to gender equality in most countries around the world including Ghana, despite the numerous ongoing programmes and interventions.
The adverse consequences of violence on battered women and girls in relation to their health, psychological and emotional well-being she said compromise and undermine their development.
She noted further that violence against women and girls is not justified and must not be tolerated no matter where, how and who committed the offence. “The home, workplace, educational institutions as well as public places must be safe and devoid of violence.” She stressed.
According to the Chief Director, MoGCSP does not consider violence against women and girls a social canker only, but a developmental challenge which affects a large chunk of the Ghanaian population and their contribution to national development.
In order to step up services and improve response to the public, Dr. Afisah Zakariah said the ministry in collaboration with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the global alliance to end child marriage has established a crises management and response center known as the Orange Support Center and a portal to engage the public and share information on ending child marriage in Ghana.
She emphasized that Government will not relent in its efforts to provide empowerment opportunities for women and girls as well as support all structures working in the areas of prevention, prosecution and rehabilitation of survivors of sexual and gender-based violence.
The Chief Director urged all and sundry to resist and prevent violent norms, attitudes and behaviors against women and girls.
The Head of the Domestic Violence Secretariat, Madam Malonin Asibi in her opening remarks said Sexual and Gender-Based Violence is one of the serious human rights violations perpetrated in the home and other human settings. The Act, she said, has unquantified negative effects on the economic, educational and health of women and girls which affects the development agenda of the country.
According to her, the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection see the need to use the 16 days of activism to engage the public in order to increase awareness and to also strengthen partnership in the fight against SGBV.
The Head of the UN Gender Team, Madam Ifeoma Charles-Monwuba acknowledged that violence against women and girls is one of the world’s most prevalent human violations taking place around the globe. This, she said, has dire consequences on women and girls, preventing their full and equal participation in society.
The UN Resident Coordinator, Mr. Charles Abani called on stakeholders to rally around the global theme to end all forms of discrimination against women and girls whiles pledging the United Nations support to address SGBV in all its forms.
