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Former President John Mahama’s running mate Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang has said the next government of the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) will propose and pass a bill to address sexual harassment everywhere. , provide support and protection programs for victims of domestic violence; and remove all barriers faced by victims, especially women and children, in seeking redress and justice.
Professor Opoku-Agyemang said this in a statement to mark 16 days of activism in defense of “No to violence against women and children.”
The international awareness campaign starts from November 25 to December 10.
Observe the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, Universal Children’s Day and World AIDS Day.
According to Professor Opoku-Agyemang, the rise in gender-based violence is threatening the well-being of vulnerable groups, particularly women, especially at a time when COVID-19 is devastating global economies.
“In fact, the reality of the pandemic, along with the accompanying life adjustments, has meant that most victims often spend time with their abusers at home or with their bullies in the workplace.
“As a result, rape and desecration have increased during this pandemic and domestic violence has exploded during closures imposed to control the pandemic,” the statement said.
According to Professor Opoku-Agyemang, “The existing legal protections, thus far, have proven inadequate to address the scale of the challenge faced by vulnerable women” and therefore the next NDC government will propose and pass a bill. to address sexual harassment everywhere.
Read the full statement below:
Accra, 11/25/2020
DECLARATION ON ACTIVISM AGAINST GENDER VIOLENCE
Each year, the United Nations (UN) designates 16 days of activism for “Non-violence against women and children” to mark the defense against gender-based violence.
The international awareness campaign begins from November 25 to December 10 on the occasion of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, Universal Children’s Day and World AIDS Day.
The UN Women 2020 UNITE campaign has as theme: “Orange the world: finance, respond, prevent, collect!”
This year’s campaign is especially notable given that it is occurring amid a raging global pandemic that continues to wreak havoc on economies and human lives.
Reports indicate that there has been an increase in gender-based violence that threatens the well-being of vulnerable groups, especially among women.
A development of the UN term “shadow pandemic”. Even more worrying is that many women are vulnerable to violence in both their domestic and professional settings.
In fact, the reality of the pandemic, along with the accompanying life adjustments, has meant that most victims are often trapped spending time with their abusers at home or with their bullies in the workplace.
As a result, rape and desecration have been on the rise during this pandemic and domestic violence has exploded during blockades imposed to control the pandemic.
Until now, existing legal protections have proven inadequate to address the scale of the challenge faced by vulnerable women.
Efforts have recently been made in the right direction at the international level, such as the adoption of the new ILO Convention 190, which aims to eliminate violence and sexual harassment in the workplace.
However, a comprehensive and concerted approach must be taken to effectively protect the well-being of vulnerable groups not only during a pandemic, but also in ways that address the structural and systemic barriers that contribute to the vulnerability of victims.
In Ghana, this would mean taking concrete and tangible actions, such as resourcing the Domestic Violence Fund, eliminating medical fees for rape and contaminated victims, building shelters to house victims of gender-based violence, and ratifying ILOC 190.
This should be a commitment that we all make and strive to achieve.
John Mahama and I are dedicated to this commitment and will face these issues head-on, as outlined in The People’s Manifesto.
We will propose and pass a bill to address sexual harassment everywhere, provide support and protection programs for victims of domestic violence, and remove all barriers faced by victims, especially women and children, in seeking redress and justice.
These are moral obligations that we must not shirk.
Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang
NDC Vice Presidency Candidate, 2020
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