Madam Cecelia Senoo, Founder and Executive Director of HFFG, said success stories from the initiative, particularly from unemployed women were encouraging and appealed for support to expand the reach of the initiatives.

“We call on various stakeholders and development partners to collaborate with us to have similar initiatives across the country,” she said.

These were contained in a press release copied to the Ghana News Agency to mark this year’s International Women’s Day celebrations held under the theme: “Time is Now: Rural and Urban Activists/Ambassadors Transforming Women’s Lives.”

“The roots of social justice to end sexual harassment, violence and discrimination against women begin from communities- both rural and urban. Our approach has been a merger between rural and urban community interventions, advocacy and interactive online tools”, Madam Senoo said.

She said women have been exposed to economic, social, psychological, physical and social violence, and that HFFG would continue to empower vulnerable women across the country. She said 47 Village Savings and Loans Associations (VSLA) have been formed in 15 communities within mining enclaves in the Western Region and this has helped women overcome financial barriers and other challenges which exposed them to gender and sexual violence.

Madam Senoo said the Associations also served as a capacity and knowledge building platforms on reproductive health and rights, whiles providing them with livelihood empowerment skills.

The VAW and the VSLA initiatives fall under the Golden Line Programme of Simavi, an international aid organization, seeking to improve health delivery and women empowerment in rural communities.