By Eunice Hilda A. Mensah, GNA
Accra, Nov. 27, GNA –The Gender Ministry has launched the 2025 edition of the global 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence campaign, urging citizens to join efforts to end violence against women and girls.
The launch, held at the Kaneshie Main Station in Accra on Wednesday, brought together key stakeholders to deliberate on strengthening action to eliminate all forms of gender-based violence (GBV).
Dr Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, said the annual campaign, observed from November 25 to December 10, remained a key platform for raising awareness and strengthening national action to eliminate all forms of GBV.
Citing data from the 2016 Domestic Violence Survey, she said 27.7 per cent of Ghanaian women had experienced at least one form of domestic violence.
The 2014 Demographic and Health Survey, she added, revealed that 32 per cent of girls aged 15–24 believed wife-beating was justified due to entrenched socio-cultural norms.
She noted that gender-based violence remained one of the most trivialised, justified and underreported human rights violations in society.
Speaking on the theme: “Unite! End Digital Violence Against Women and Girls,” Dr Lartey highlighted the growing incidence of online abuse, including cyberbullying, stalking, sexual harassment, sextortion, image-based abuse and digital blackmail.
“In an era driven by technology and innovation, digital violence is gaining ground, and women and girls have become frequent targets,” she said.
She commended the UNFPA and the GPRTU for partnering with the Ministry, stressing that men and boys had a critical role to play in ending GBV, particularly within the male-dominated transport sector.
Dr Wilfred Ochan, UNFPA Country Representative, said transport stations offered a unique opportunity to reach millions of commuters, market women, drivers, porters and young people across all 16 regions.
He said the initiative formed part of a six-year social movement running until 2030 as Ghana and other countries worked to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.
Dr Ochan noted that transport stations, often located near bustling markets, were effective spaces for disseminating information on GBV prevention, family planning, maternal health and adolescent sexual and reproductive rights.
He said the campaign sought to amplify national awareness on GBV, harmful practices and digital violence, while strengthening access to timely GBV and sexual and reproductive health referral pathways.
It also aimed to support the transport sector to develop codes of conduct and reporting mechanisms that promote safety and dignity.
Madam Malonin Asibi, Director of the Domestic Violence Secretariat, who spoke on behalf of the Chief Director, Dr Afisah Zakariah, said GBV remained a major human rights violation with severe consequences for women and girls.
She commended UNFPA for its continued support.
Representative of UN agencies, development partners, civil society organisations, the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU), students, and various women and men’s groups were present.
GNA
Edited by Agnes Boye-Doe