Despite ongoing struggles and the evolving societal landscape, gender-based violence remains a pervasive issue in Ghana.
Many women and children continue to endure various forms of abuse and violence, spanning from domestic violence to the horrifying practice of female genital mutilation (FGM).
Additionally, harmful customs such as Trokosi, witch branding, detrimental nutritional practices, and early child marriages persist, to name just a few examples.
Recognizing the urgency of addressing these issues, Curious Minds, in collaboration with UNICEF Ghana, organized a one-day colloquium.
The aim was to assess Ghana’s current status in combating these harmful practices and formulate strategies for creating a safer and more secure environment for women and children.
The colloquium adopted the theme “Consolidating Efforts Towards Ending Harmful Practices in Ghana,” where key stakeholders engaged in multiple sessions to gain a comprehensive understanding of the prevailing situation in Ghana and devise effective approaches to combat these issues.
The underlying causes for the persistence of these practices are multifaceted, with poverty and a lackluster national response being at the core of our challenges.
Dr. Sylvester Kyei, in his opening address, shed light on the obstacles that our country has encountered in combating harmful practices. He proposed continuous education and awareness as a pivotal strategy for addressing this problem. Additionally, he advocated for structural legal reforms and emphasized the importance of collaborating with religious and traditional leaders to combat these detrimental practices in Ghana.
A representative from UNICEF, Young Joo Lee, reiterated the organization’s commitment to partnering with the Ghanaian government to combat these harmful activities against women and children.
She emphasized UNICEF’s core objectives, which include child protection, social welfare, and improving healthcare services to meet the needs of vulnerable individuals.
Mr. Dan Taylor of MindFreedom Ghana brought a unique perspective to the discussion, focusing on the psychological ramifications of mistreatment and its profound impact on the human mind.
The Executive Coordinator of Curious Minds, Kingsley Obeng-Kyereh, in an interview with Citi News, said it is hoped that these conversations will prompt actions to end violence against women and children.
