‘Act together to bring down gender-based violence’

Alhaji Nuru Hamadan, the Asokore-Mampong Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), has appealed to chiefs and opinion leaders to provide the needed support in the fight against gender and child abuse.

He said they should not interfere with the law to get such crimes settled at home to save the culprits from prosecution.

Alhaji Hamadan said sexual abuse, domestic and other forms of gender-based violence were on the rise because of the lack of apathy and sometimes the connivance of people in the community.

He said it is important to educate community leaders, religious and youth groups and trade associations on the effects of violent acts and the need to give out the perpetrators.

Alhaji Hamadan was speaking during a durbar held to sensitize community leaders on gender-based violence at Asokore-Mampong.

The durbar was organized by the Gender, Children and Social Protection Ministry, in partnership with the Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA), and the theme for the occasion was: “Working to end sexual and gender-based violence in Ghana - the role of communities”.

The event is part of a nationwide effort to create awareness on the need to report such abuses for criminal prosecution.

Alhaji Hamadan said women and children, who are often the victims of violent acts, should be encouraged and supported to get justice.

Mrs Christiana Ankama, the Ashanti Regional Director of Gender, said the durbar was meant to assist in identifying the causes of gender-based violence in communities and seek ways to address them.