Reducing sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) in the Volta Region is a priority for the Volta Regional Committee on the Provision of Essential Services Package (ESP) for Survivors of Gender-Based Violence.
The Committee has made a tremendous effort in dealing with the situation in the region by getting doctors to endorse medical forms for the victims pro bono and providing support to survivors of SGBV.
The hard work of the committee has also led to the arrest and prosecution of some of the perpetrators, and this year the committee intends to take further action to reduce the situation to its barest minimum.
At the Committee’s first quarter review meeting, which was supported by ActionAid as part of their Transformative Action for Gender Equality Project, members promised to keep up the good work by giving SGBV victims the essential services they deserved.
The meeting aimed to track trends and work of stakeholders on SGBV for 2023 and the first quarter of the year 2024, discuss challenges associated wi
th the provision of services to survivors of SGBV and provide possible remedies.
It was also to plan for the committee’s advocacy activities for 2024, discuss other pending SGBV cases and seek institutional support to address them.
Mr Augustus Awity, Chief Director of the Volta Regional Coordinating Council (VRCC) praised the committee for the significant impact it has had since its inception and asked members to keep up the excellent work to rid the region of sexual and gender-based violence.
He credited the committee’s achievements to the several departments and agencies on the committee working together in strong and effective coordination.
The Director said traditional authorities had a major role to play in reducing the issues, so the committee planned to educate them so they would support the committee in their efforts to reduce the issues by reporting such cases to law enforcement agencies.
He told the Ghana News Agency that sexual harassment and gender-based violence were crimes, so traditional a
uthorities and parents should not shield perpetrators of such crimes.
Mr Awity stated that prosecution and incarceration of those who commit such crimes would serve as a deterrence to those who might consider committing the same crimes.
Madam Eyra Thywill Kpe, Volta Regional Director, Department of Gender, said the committee would keep up its advocacy and sensitisation efforts, particularly in schools and workplaces to lessen SGBV and sexual harassment in these settings.
She stated that the committee would provide training for the essential service providers and educate parents on the importance of supporting their children, particularly those who have experienced sexual assault.
The Volta Regional Girls’ Education Officer, Madam Millicent Dakeh, reported that to persuade pregnant girls to return to school after giving birth, they had conducted several sensitisation programmes on the Ghana Education Service’s re-entry policy.
The committee was also briefed by Madam Stella Mawutor, Volta Regional Director
of Social Welfare, about the work being done by her department. She said officers of the department were on the ground educating the people about SGBV and other issues paramount to their wellness.
Source: Ghana News Agency