By Solomon Gumah
Tamale, March 28, GNA – The African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF), under its KASA project, has convened a strategic partnership meeting in Tamale to discuss and strategise on ending sexual violence in Northern Ghana.
“KASA”, derived from the Akan language in Ghana, means “speak out” recognising the silence surrounding sexual violence.
The AWDF launched the project in 2021 in partnership with the Ford Foundation and Open Society West Africa to support interventions against sexual violence in Ghana, Nigeria, and Senegal.
The meeting served as platform to reflect on the project’s achievements, challenges, and the way forward in tackling sexual violence in communities particularly in Northern Ghana.
Held under the theme: “Dreaming, Speaking Out, and Acting Collectively Towards a World Free of Sexual Violence”, the event brought together key stakeholders and partner organisations including the Pan-African Organization for Research and Protection of Violence on Women and Children, Norsaac, Savannah Women Integrated Development Agency (SWIDA-Ghana), Sung Foundation, Tiyumba Hope Foundation, and Martha Inspires Foundation.
It was also attended by persons with disabilities, minority groups such as the Fulbe community, male and female advocates, and school pupils.
Mrs. Gifty Ayebea Anim, the Programmes Officer at AWDF, speaking during the meeting, highlighted the devastating impact of sexual violence across Africa emphasising on how it deprived women and girls of their fundamental rights including life, health, dignity, development, peace, freedom of movement, and non-discrimination.
She said through the KASA project, AWDF had supported approximately 45 organisations in Ghana, Nigeria, and Senegal.
She said: “These organisations are actively involved in raising awareness about sexual violence and related laws advocating legal and policy reforms, improving survivor-centered responses, and challenging harmful narratives that reinforce rape culture.”
Speaking on the project’s achievements, Mrs. Anim said: “Our partner SWIDA-Ghana received the Northern Excellence Award for the impact of the KASA initiative, in Senegal and Nigeria, our partners have gained increased visibility, enabling them to secure additional funding for their work.”
She, however, raised concerns about ongoing challenges including backlash against organisations advocating women’s rights, the persistence of sexual violence and the culture of silence, increasing
cases of online sexual violence, inadequate shelters for survivors, and financial burdens survivors faced such as medical bills.
She reaffirmed AWDF’s commitment to building a world where all individuals, particularly women, girls and vulnerable groups, were free from sexual violence.
Hajia Alima Sagito-Saeed, Executive Director of SWIDA-Ghana, touched on sexual violence in Northern Ghana where cultural norms, socio-cultural barriers, and systemic gaps continued to fuel gender-based violence.
She highlighted a concerning statistic: “UNICEF reports that one in three girls in Ghana experiences some form of sexual violence before turning 18. In Northern Ghana, where harmful traditional practices like child marriage persist, the situation is even more alarming.”
Hajia Sagito-Saeed detailed the impact of AWDF’s collaboration with SWIDA-Ghana including training over 200 community-based paralegals to assist women and girls in seeking justice, establishing school clubs to educate students about sexual violence, and creating safe spaces where survivors received psychosocial and legal support.
Bridgewurche Barikisu Mankir, Queen Mother of the Buipe Traditional Area in the Savannah Region, commended AWDF and its partners for fostering discussions that challenged harmful societal narratives and norms surrounding sexual violence.
Madam Addy Kehinde Hussanat, Gender and Social Inclusion Officer for the Girls Empowerment Mission (GEM-Ghana), an NGO, made an appeal and said “Let’s break the culture of silence and shame surrounding sexual violence. We must create safe spaces for survivors to share their stories and seek support, hold perpetrators accountable, and educate ourselves and others about consent, boundaries, and healthy relationships.”
GNA
EA/BM