By
Christabella Arko/Priscilla Oye Ofori, GNA
Accra, Dec 11, GNA –
The Plan International Ghana has, climaxed a 16-day activism against Gender
Based Violence (GBV) with a call on government, private organisations and other
stakeholders, to join efforts to find
solutions to curb the menace.
The programme
brought together 50 young boys and girls from various Junior and Senior High
Schools, tertiary institutions across the country and teachers from selected
schools and youth advocates.
This year’s
programme was themed, “Orange the World; Generation Equality Stands against
Rape”.
Mr Solomon
Tesfamariam, the Country Director, Plan International Ghana said the
organisation was working over the years through the Girls Advocacy Alliance
(GAA)project to end child and forced marriage, sexual violence and abuse and
commercial sexual exploitation, among
others.
He said the
Organisation believed that all children, adolescents and young people had the
right to make their own choices, control their sexual and reproductive health
and lead lives free from coercion, violence, discrimination and abuse.
Girls and young
women were denied from exercising their rights thereby preventing them from
achieving gender equality, he said.
He mentioned that,
the marking of the 16 days of activism against GBV, was towards working to
ensure that there was justice for such violated children and young people with
particular focus on girls.
Mr Tesfamariam commended
government, the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, and the
Ministry of Justice for working to address abuse records of such nature.
Madam Anna Nabere,
the Project Manager, GAA, said violence against women and girls was one of the
most prevalent human rights violations in the world and knew no social,
economic, or national boundaries
On her part, it
undermined the health, dignity, security and autonomy of victims, yet it
remained shrouded in a culture of silence.
“The situation of
GBV may be worse than we imagine because of the culture of silence surrounding
the situation, violence is not a private matter, it must be uncovered in order
for it to be challenged”, she added.
Madam Nabere called
on the media to help in limiting the situation by showing interest in stories
on rape and defilement with follow-ups and ensuring that justice was being
served.
This, she said,
would encourage other survivors to speak out and serve as a deterrent for other
perpetrators.
A communique read by
Madam Abigail Teye Mamle, a Youth Advocate, encouraged parents, guardians and
family members of victims to provide the support needed in seeking justice
especially in rape cases.
She urged the Ghana
Medical Association to consider the charges taken for issuing medical forms for
rape cases as it was a barrier for many survivors to seek justice.
She asked parents to
be proactive in protecting their children by sensitising them on identifying
the signs of threats and danger and establishing a relationship with them to
enable them to open up on their experiences, weaknesses and fears.
Madam Mamle said it
was necessary for government and private institutions to develop effective
policies on sexual harassment and GBV, adding that, trustworthy and effective
medium for reporting cases of enforcement of the law should be provided for
victims and survivors.
She said the public
should be more supportive rather than being judgmental when stories of such
violent acts were shared and encouraged survivors and victims’ to support in
enforcing the law by speaking about their experiences.
The 16-Day of
Activism against Gender Based Violence is an international campaign originating
from the first Women’s Global Leadership Institute.
It is sponsored by
the Centre for Women’s Global Leadership in 1991 to symbolically describe the
fight against violence with respect to women and human rights.
GNA
