By Murtala Issah
Stakeholders in the Northern region have called for an end to gender based violence which they noted, is preventing women from realising their full productive capacities.
The World Food Programme, the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) and other partners made the call at a durbar to mark the sixteen days of activism against gender based violence in Karaga in the Northern region.
The durbar followed a march through the principal street of Karaga to draw awareness to gender based violence and its impact on socio-economic development.
The sixteen days of activism against gender based violence is a global campaign aimed at raising awareness and support towards ending violence against women and girls.
The campaign also seeks to eliminate Inequality and child marriage as well as ensure that every human being enjoys the right to a violence free life.
Addressing the durbar in Karaga, the head of field office in Tamale, Jamila Abdul Wahab, said though Ghana has made significant progress in addressing gender based violence, the issue persists across the country, with nearly a quarter of all women in Ghana suffering from physical or sexual abuse from their intimate partners. Whilst one out of five girls in the country are forced into marriage.
Karaga in the Northern region is considered as the most food insecure district in Ghana. Stakeholders believe, addressing discrimination against women and girls and giving them access to resources will help communities like Karaga to boost food security.
The District Director of CHRAJ for Karaga Sulemana Sugri Amidu, in a key note address on the theme: “unite to end violence against women and girls for improved food security, ” called on traditional authorities and religious leaders to support the campaign against gender based violence.
The stakeholders urged all to support efforts to end all forms of violence against women and girls.
