By Yussif Ibrahim, GNA
Konongo-Odumase (Ash), March 13, GNA – The Erudite Women’s Empowerment Foundation (EWEF), has launched the Gender Justice Caravan Project, an initiative aimed at raising awareness and reducing cases of gender-based violence in the Asante-Akim Central Municipality.
The project was introduced during an inception and stakeholder meeting where community leaders, institutional representatives, and development partners gathered to learn about the initiative and discussed collaboration strategies for its successful implementation.
Mrs. Constance Ohenewaa Ankoma, Executive Director of EWEF, speaking at the event, said the foundation was committed to empowering women and girls, particularly those in underserved communities, through mentorship, advocacy, training, and economic empowerment initiatives.
She explained that the organisation focused on women and girls in their diversity, including women with disabilities, rural women, in-school girls, teenage mothers, and out-of-school young mothers.
She noted that the Gender Justice Caravan Project primarily sought to increase awareness and promote action against gender-based violence in the municipality, with the ultimate goal of reducing incidents that disproportionately affected women and girls.
“The project aims to ensure that communities understand what constitutes gender-based violence, know their rights, and become familiar with the available reporting mechanisms,” she stated.
The initiative is being implemented with funding support from the African Women’s Development Fund and will run for ten months, from December 2025 to September 2026.
As part of its strategy, the project would undertake community-based awareness campaigns where outreach teams will visit communities to educate residents on gender-based violence, challenge harmful social norms, and promote respectful and safe environments for women and girls.
In addition to community sensitisation, the project will focus on policy engagement by working with policymakers and institutional authorities to review existing policies and strengthen their enforcement.
Mrs. Ankoma noted that survivor support would also be a key component of the project, as many victims of abuse were unable to seek justice due to financial constraints and limited access to support systems.
“We want to ensure that survivors receive the necessary assistance to pursue justice and rebuild their lives,” she said.
Beyond the current initiative, she indicated that EWEF plans to introduce complementary programmes, including a project that will focus on raising awareness about sexual harassment in schools.
The Executive Director emphasised that the foundation also placed strong value on evidence-based advocacy.
She explained that data collected throughout the project would help inform future interventions and strengthen advocacy efforts aimed at protecting women and girls.
The Gender Justice Caravan Project is expected to use creative approaches such as storytelling, film screenings, and community dialogue forums to engage residents and promote open discussions on gender justice.
GNA
Edited by Kwabia Owusu-Mensah/Linda Asante Agyei