As the world marks the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, The Ark Foundation, Ghana has raised alarm over the escalating gender-based violence (GBV) crisis in the country, urging the government to take urgent and decisive action.
In a statement released today, the NGO highlighted the increasing number of deaths and injuries resulting from domestic and gender-based violence in Ghana.
The foundation cited a recent tragic incident where a wife and six children were reportedly burned alive, describing it as “just one incident of many, where women are maimed or killed at the whims of a husband or partner.”
According to the statement, “These are not isolated incidents; they are the predictable and fatal endpoint of a cycle of violence that the state has consistently failed to break through negligence, no action or totally ineffective action.”
The Ark Foundation called on key government institutions to strengthen preventive, protective, provision, and prosecution measures.
Among the recommendations, the Foundation urged the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection to work with the Ministry of the Interior and Ministry of Justice to “assess the glaring gaps… and take active steps to bridge these gaps at national and decentralized levels.”
The Foundation also urged the Ghana Police Service to consider upgrading the Domestic Violence and Victims’ Support Unit (DOVVSU) “to a directorate of the police or to the status of a specialized bureau” to enhance its autonomy, leadership, and capacity to coordinate efforts across multiple stakeholders.
On the judicial front, The Ark Foundation called for an increase in gender-based violence courts and the designation of specific days for lower courts to handle such cases. The statement stressed that judges must be trained to issue protection orders when necessary to minimize the risk of further violence.
“We must demand a future where the colour orange truly represents a dawn of safety and justice for every woman and girl and indeed anyone… who faces the risk of being harmed by acts of GBV. Let’s say something, when we see something,” the statement emphasized.
The NGO further warned that the economic and social cost of inaction is high. Citing the Ghana Statistical Service and ISSER, the Foundation noted that up to 30% of women and girls, and 14% of men and boys, face GBV in Ghana, with the nation losing almost $119 million annually due to public health costs associated with violence against women and girls.
The Ark Foundation, Ghana is a non-profit organization committed to protecting women and children from violence through shelter, counseling, advocacy, training, and community initiatives.