ActionAid Ghana, a Non-governmental Organisation (NGO), has called on traditional leaders to join the fight against Gender-based Violence (GBV) in all forms as it is an affront to the survivor’s fundamental human rights.
It said traditional leaders wielded the power and influence within their jurisdictions and could therefore take actions that would help reduce GBV in their communities if not end it entirely.
“All forms of GBV contribute to injustice against women and girls and are routed in strong social, cultural and traditional norms that continuously violate the rights of women and girls and prevent them from enjoying their fundamental rights…,” Mr Aaron Amatus Dangboor explained.
Mr Dangboor, the Upper West Regional Programme Officer of ActionAid Ghana (AAG), made the call at Tampaala, a community in the Jirapa Municipality, during a durbar to climax the 2024 edition of 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-based Violence.
Traditional leaders and representatives of departments and agencies among others attended the programme organised by AAG in partnership with JIFAN, a youth-led group in Jirapa and Young Urban Women Movement, an AAG-affiliated women’s advocacy group.
The AAG celebrated this year’s 16 Days of campaign against GBV on the theme: “Towards Beijing +30: Unite to End Violence Against Women and Girls”.
The campaign to end GBV was in line with AAG’s Mission Priority of promoting Women’s Rights and Decent Work with a focus on zero tolerance for violence against women, girls, and recognition, redistribution, and reduction of burden of care work, among others.
Mr Dangboor said AAG had implemented and continued to implement many programmes geared towards ending GBV, but the practice persisted and stressed the need for concerted efforts to end it.
Madam Sophia Jakpa, the Jirapa Municipal Girl Child Education Coordinator, suggested the establishment and strict enforcement of bylaws by the traditional leaders to help curb the menace of GBV in their communities.
Madam Lydia Ninberewe, the Jirapa Municipal Gender Desk Officer, also emphasised the need for economic empowerment for women as a means of ending or reducing GBV.
She explained that women would be able to support their husbands in their family upkeep if they were economically empowered and that would help reduce the tendency of violence against women.
Pognaa Mary Lily Bacheyie, the Queenmother of Tampaala, thanked AAG for its intervention in the community over the years, which had helped reduced drastically, early, forced and child marriage in the area.
She indicated that AAG had facilitated the formation of COMBAT groups in the community, which served as community watchdogs against GBV including early, forced and child marriage.
Representatives from the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) also exposed the gathering to the legal consequences against perpetrators of GBV.
The campaign by AAG against GBV would also contribute to achieving the U.N. Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 5 on achieving gender equality and empowering all women and girls by 2030.
Targets 5.2 of that Goal, for instance, sought to eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls including sexual violence.
Also, target 5.3 sought to eliminate harmful practices such as child, early and forced marriage and female genital mutilation.
GNA
