Dr Richard Turkson, Executive Director of National Population Council (NPC) on Monday regretted the existence of socio-cultural practices that violate the rights of women and children despite the repeal of such practices from the statutory books.
Addressing a seminar for staff of the Police Women and Juvenile Unit (WAJU) of the Police Service in Accra, Dr Turkson named some the violations as female genital mutilation, trokosi, and widowhood rights among other things.
''Let us all get involved as individuals, as staff of our respective institutions, as members of our extended families and as citizens of the wider community. Together, we shall succeed in this important crusade against all harmful and dehumanising socio-cultural and traditional practices whether they involve violence or not.''
The workshop that was on the impact of violence on women and adolescent reproductive health would expose the 36 participants to the problems the menace has on society.
He said the onus was therefore on WAJU to ensure stricter enforcement of the laws. ' It is absolutely no use to have laws on our statute books which are honoured more in their breach than in their observance.'
Dr Turkson said the World Health Organisation (WHO) approximates that 2 million women and girls every year undergo some form of female mutilation every year.
Mr Moses Mukasa, United Nations Population Fund (UNPF), Representative in Ghana, said in a speech read on his behalf that violence against women was now recognised as a human right abuse which must be treated as seriously as any form of crime.
He said violence against women exist throughout the world where women and girls are subjected to various forms of physical, sexual, economic and psychological abuse that cuts across lines of income, class and cultures.
He said, "Factors contributing to the problem of violence continue to include socio-economic practices, victim blaming, poverty and economic dependence on men and society in general, ignorance of the rights of women and children, and low reporting".
Mr Mukasa noted however that most perpetrators of violence are mostly family, friends and acquaintances.
He called for a concerted effort to address gender based violence and its reproductive health effects.
The UNFPA boss said his agency would continue to help build capacities of officers whose job it was to help victims and also preventing such crimes.
Police Superintendent, Esther Appiah, Commanding Officer of WAJU said the programme would help officers of the Unit appreciate the long-term effects of the damage violence on women and adolescents could have on their reproductive health.
She said, ' We as law enforcement agents need to know the extent of damage violence can cause to individuals so that we can render quality service to members of the public who rely on us to uphold their rights as individuals and citizens".
