The Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection and the Ghana National Gas Company are partnering to put up shelters for victims of Domestic Violence in all 16 regions of the country.
The issue of domestic violence is pervasive in Ghana with very recent stories of fatal abuse of both women and children.
Data available at the Accra Regional Office of the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU), as of August 2020 indicates that 31.9 per cent of Ghanaian women have at the least faced one form of domestic violence – physical, economic, psychological, social or sexual.
The Covid-19 pandemic has also compounded the prevailing gender inequalities and vulnerabilities by increasing the risk of abuse which has resulted in an increase in the number of domestic abuse cases in the country over the past year.
Victims of abuse without a place of abode outside of their marriage tend to stay in these abusive relationships which further leads to more abuse and possible depression.
The Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Hon. Sarah Adwoa Safo in an effort to create a safe haven for victims of domestic abuse reached out to Ghana Gas in July this year and lobbied for the establishment of shelters for victims of domestic abuse so women and children who feel the most adverse effects of domestic violence can be catered for in these safe shelters.
A team from Ghana Gas and officers of the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection have met to deliberate on the establishment of the shelters within Greater Accra, Ashanti and Western Region with talks set to continue for the establishment of other facilities in the remaining 13 regions.
In the meantime, the Ministry in collaboration with UNFPA Ghana inaugurated a Domestic/Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Call Centre known as the Orange Support Centre which can be reached on 0800 111 222 to receive complaints and offer support for victims of Domestic/Sexual and Gender-Based Violence.
Source: Mypublisher24.com