16 Days of activism against gender-based violence - Ark Foundation reminds government

Sixteen Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence, commemorated from November 25 till December 10 each year is an annual global campaign which serves as a crucial reminder of the persistent struggle against gender-based violence and the need for concerted efforts to protect and support victims. 

Despite significant legislative strides in Ghana, such as the passage of the Domestic Violence Act 2007 (Act 732), the adoption of the National Policy and Plan of Action for Addressing Domestic Violence in Ghana, and the Legislative Instrument on Domestic Violence, as well as the provisions contained in the Criminal Offences Act, the reality on the ground remains uninspiring. Victims of gender-based violence continue to face immense challenges in accessing the support they need, revealing deep-seated gaps in our societal and institutional responses.

Often, direct support to victims falls on NGOs and organisations such as FIDA Ghana, WILDAF, LAWA, AWLA, Gender Centre, ACTIONAID, among others, which have done their best in supporting the government through training, advocacy and victim support.

Since 1999, The Ark Foundation as one of such organisations has been providing free core support services, including shelter, psycho-social support and legal assistance.

State institutions, including the courts, Police/DOVVSU, health facilities, and the Department of Social Welfare have also been doing what they can to provide services according to their mandates; however, these institutions are inhibited by funding and sometimes severe capacity needs.

Furthermore, the existing institutional framework perpetuates the cycle of violence, as state and non-state institutions often operate in seclusion from others, lacking effective coordination and formal referral mechanisms.

This fragmentation results in victims of gender-based violence going from one agency to another without receiving comprehensive support, thereby exacerbating their trauma and suffering.

The fragmented response to gender-based violence is a glaring obstacle to progress and undermines the country’s human development.

In commemorating 16 Days of Activism, The Ark Foundation draws the attention of the government to the following:

Funding for NGOs and state institutions working in this space should be prioritised to guarantee continuous support and services for victims through the legally established Domestic Violence Fund and other legitimate State and development agency sources.

The difficulty in securing adequate funding hampers the ability of institutions to fully support victims, highlighting the urgent need for increased financial commitment from the government to ensure the continuity and expansion of these essential services.

The Domestic Violence Fund, established to provide financial resources for these efforts, should be playing a crucial role stop-gap role in supporting victims and raising awareness. The Gender Ministry, should ensure equitable distribution of the Fund for the purposes stated by law.

Monitoring and accounting for the use of the Domestic Violence Fund are critical for transparency and accountability.

Additionally, providing training for families to support reintegration and rehabilitation is essential for the long-term recovery process. This training should be handled by agencies on the ground with support from the Fund.

Despite legislative efforts and advocacy efforts, practices such as witchcraft accusation, customary servitude, cruel widowhood practices, child marriages, elopement and female genital mutilation persist in Ghana, perpetuating harm and inequality against women and girls.

It is imperative that the government revives efforts at prohibiting these practices in collaboration with civil society organisations, women’s groups and local state agencies. Existing laws must be enforced through prosecution, and communities must be sensitised through education and engagement.

Ultimately, the government, civil society, and communities must work together to protect the rights and dignity of women and girls, and to ensure that harmful traditional practices are eliminated.

This can only be done through the firm leadership of the State primarily through the Gender Ministry, which has the mandate to coordinate such efforts and ensure continuous improvement in prevention and responsive strategies.  

Lastly, State institutions such as the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ); the Department of Social Welfare (DSW), the Girl Child Unit of the Ghana Education Service, the Courts and the Gender-Based Violence Courts, the Domestic Violence and Victims’ Support Unit (DOVSSU), which have their respective mandates in preventing and responding to gender-based violence should work towards improvement in their own strategies and strengthening their capacities and knowledge in this area of work.

Victims should not be re-victimized or re-traumatized as they seek help, which sadly often happens when they engage responding agencies. Also, as these institutions have a shared responsibility to reduce the prevalence and incidence of gender-based violence in the country, they are called upon to exert the needed pressure on the State, the Gender Ministry and the Domestic Violence Secretariat to rise to the challenges and perform their mandate.

The state will be shirking its responsibility under the law, the Constitution and the adopted regional and international instruments, such as the Maputo Protocol and the UN Declaration on Elimination of Violence against Women (DEVAW) if it fails to tackle gender-based violence, a canker that affects 14 per cent of men and boys and an alarming third of the population of women and girls in Ghana. This must change. 

The writer is
Executive Director, 
The Ark Foundation, Ghana.
E-mail: info@arkfoundationghana.org/thearkgh@gmail.com