The implementation of the seven-month project, according to the foundation, which works to improve the general wellbeing of vulnerable people and communities, will greatly tackle the growing trend of domestic violence in the Municipality.

Mr Godfred Tabanye Wuliyeng, the Head of Programmes, MIHOSO explained that the campaign titled “Rise up: Uniting Communities to prevent SGBV Against Women and Girls in Bono East and Ahafo Regions” would be implemented in 10 communities.

Speaking at the launch of the project held at Koforidua, near Duayaw-Nkwanta he said public education and awareness creation SGBV would be in local communities including Yamfo, Bomaa, Susuanso, Tanoso, Techire, Adrobaa, Afrisipakrom, Subonpang and appealed for stakeholders’ support for the campaign to achieve useful outcomes.

Mr Wuliyeng said the contributions of stakeholders were required for the campaign to achieve desirable outcomes and urged the stakeholders to support it.

The SGBV Project implementation aimed at promoting Gender Equality, Human Rights and combating SGBV) using gender transformative approaches to prompt social reflection on the causes and effects of SGBV and discrimination on survivors or affected persons.

The meeting was attended by chiefs and queens, representatives from the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU), the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), as well as representatives from religious organisations and other media houses. The stakeholders at the launch promised their support to ensure the project’s success.

Madam Angelina Aboagyewaa Appiah, the Tano North Municipal Director of the Social Welfare and Community Development noted that cases of SGBV were increasing, though official statistics remain a challenge due to low reporting of SGBV cases.

She said, though some perpetrators had been prosecuted, many of the cases remained unreported because the victims and their families feared societal stigmatisation.
She added that certain belief systems and poverty were also fueling transactional sex, and child marriage and teenage pregnancy in the municipality, and called for stakeholder support to bring the situation under control.

Mr Victor Osei, the Tano North Municipal Director of CHRAJ, said: “our fundamental human rights are not privilege, but entitlement” and called for intensified public education and awareness creation on SGBV.

He said though some people might try to take advantage of others, public education would enlighten and empower unsuspected and innocent victims and potential ones, calling for the prosecution of perpetrators too.

Chief Inspector Dorothy Dadzie, the Tano North Municipal Coordinator of the DOVVSU expressed concern about interference of traditional and religious leaders, slowing down prosecution of suspects of defilement and other SGBV related cases.
She pleaded with them to stay away and allow the law to take course on the suspects to serve as a deterrent to like-minded others.

C/Insp Dadzie also called on the stakeholders to help tackle the growing trend of stigmatization of victims and their families.