Accra, Nov. 28, - Madam Afua Addotey, the Board Chairperson,
Women in Law and Development Africa (WiLDAF-Ghana), has called on government to
reconstitute the Domestic Violence Management Board to enable a smooth
implementation of section 41 of the D.V Act 2007, (Act 731).
The Domestic Violence Act is
intended to protect all, especially women, and punish offenders of the crime.
Madam Addotey made the call at a
press conference in Accra in a speech read on her behalf to launch the World
Campaign of 16 Days of Activism against Gender Based Violence.
It commences on the International
Day for the Elimination of violence against women from November 25th to
December 10 on the theme "Leave No One Behind; End Violence Against Women
and Girls".
Madam Addotey said a recent
national Domestic Violence prevalence research conducted by the Ministry of
Gender, Children and Social Protection in 2016, indicated that nearly 28 per
cent of women experienced at least one form of domestic violence in the 12
months prior to the survey.
There is therefore the need for
an effective implementation of the Act, she noted.
She said the survey also recorded
violence cases against men though they were lower than that of women called for
the fight against all forms of violence against women.
Violence against women and girls
have a devastating impact on individuals and society as a whole, she stated,
adding that it drained resources which could be channelled into other useful
ventures and created a cycle of violence against the most vulnerable in
society.
The WILDAF Board Chairperson
commended the Government making efforts to end the incidence including
promulgating and amending laws to address gender based violence such as the
recent passing of the Legislative Instrument (LI) of the Domestic Violence Act.
She therefore called on
stakeholders to come together to end gender based violence.
"Build capacity of key
actors including prosecutors, crime officers, medical officials among others to
ensure proper management of domestic violence cases,” she said.
Mrs Susan Aryeetey, The Acting
Executive Director, International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) speaking
on the rape in Ghana, urged traditional authorities not to shield perpetrators
of those crimes but rather report them to appropriate authorities to protect
women and children.
She called for a change in
attitude in the country saying, “If we are rigid about culture, processes, and
systems then we will not get anywhere.
“This is important because things
are changing and we need to change the narrative as well to be able to get the
things we require as a country”.
The press conference was
organised in collaboration with OXFAM in Ghana, Crossroads International and
Care International Ghana.
Representatives of the
development partners pledged their commitment to empower marginalised groups,
especially the poor, women and the youth.
GNA
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