By Caleb Kuleke
Ho, July 6, GNA – Citizens have been urged to join the campaign against sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) to avert long-lasting psychological, emotional and physical scars on the victims.
Sexual and gender-based also impedes victims from actualising their abilities.
The situation, according to stakeholders at the second quarterly meeting on the Provision of Essential Service Package for Survivors of Sexual and Gender-based Violence, is a serious cancer that requires serious attention.
They called on the media to continue to create awareness on the issues of SGBV and underscored the need to improve services to survivors including psycho-social support.
Madam Victoria Fato, Focal Person for the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) at the Volta Regional Coordinating Council (VRCC) said SGBV was hindering the development opportunities of the victims and destroying their lives.
She said every necessary effort must be made to eliminate the situation to protect the country’s human resource, especially girls and women who were mostly victims.
Mr Augustus Kwaku Awity, Chief Director of the VRCC commended efforts of the various stakeholders working to address the canker in the region and appealed to them not to relent in their efforts as it was a service to Mother Ghana.
Madam Harriet Kuedokah, Detective Police Woman Sergeant, from the Domestic, Violence and Victim Support Unit of the Ghana Police Service, said based on the rate at which sexual cases were being reported, the Unit decided to embark on activities to reduce the menace.
She said the Unit with support of the UNFPA organised sensitisation programme for 50 station officers drawn from the UNFPA’s sponsored districts on SGBV and effective ways of handling victims of abuse.
The Unit, she said also had an engagement with some Basic Schools including Philip Akpo, New Seed International, Ho Depot to educate them on common ploys adopted by perpetrators to abuse and exploit them.
The engagement was also to encourage and build their confidence level so they could come out boldly to report cases of abuse on them especially defilement and rape which consequences were very dire, she added.
Mrs Thywill Eyra Kpe, Volta Regional Director of the Department of Gender, said the fight against SGBV must be everyone’s concern so that collectively the situation could be nipped in the bud.
She said the Department within the quarter under review had visited some second cycle schools to educate the students and carried out sensitisation in some communities on the issues of SGBV.
Mrs Thywill praised the enhanced coordination among stakeholders in responding effectively and timely to issues of SGBV in the region and hoped that it would be maintained.
Madam Stella Mawutor, Volta Regional Director of the Department of Social Welfare said SGBV held back victims, especially women and girls from getting education and achieving their dreams.
GNA