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The activities of the 16 Days of Activism against Gender Violence begin on November 25 and end on December 10, under the motto: “Orange the world: finance, respond, prevent, collect!”.
Globally, a series of activities have been planned to make the strongest call to end all forms of violence and discrimination against women, including the United Nations Secretary-General’s campaign: United to End Violence. against women.
Sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV), described as the shadow pandemic, occurs around the world. It is estimated that one in three women experiences physical or sexual violence in her lifetime. Facts and figures provided by UN Women show that 35 per cent of women have ever experienced physical and / or sexual intimate partner violence, or sexual violence by someone other than their partner, and this figure does not includes sexual harassment. Furthermore, it is estimated that of the 87,000 women who were intentionally murdered in 2017 worldwide, more than half (50,000) were killed by intimate partners or relatives. This is alarming.
According to UN Women, this is one of the most frequent human rights violations in the world, which has serious short-term and long-term physical, economic and psychological consequences for the victims. It prevents their full and equal participation in society. The magnitude of its impact, both on the lives of individuals and on families and society, is immeasurable.
The local context reflects the global situation. According to the 2016 Ghana Survey on Domestic Violence, 27.7% of Ghanaian women had experienced at least one form of domestic violence (physical, economic, psychological, social and sexual).
Furthermore, the survey shows that 38.2% of women aged 15-19, 40.4% of women aged 20-24, and 38.3% of women aged 30-39 reported experiencing at least one act of sexual violence. In addition, the UN Women’s Global Database reports that intimate partner physical and / or sexual violence in Ghana this year stands at 24% and the physical and sexual violence of the intimate partner in the last 12 months is 19%.
Against these statistics, research supports the fact that women and girls are likely to experience up to 3.7 times more domestic violence in crisis situations, such as health pandemics, than at other times. This is because disease outbreaks, such as COVID-19, affect women and men differently and exacerbate prevailing gender inequalities and vulnerabilities, increasing the risks of abuse.
During pandemics, women and girls are at increased risk of intimate partner violence and other forms of domestic violence due to increased tensions at home. In the case of COVID-19, SGBV has even been called the ‘shadow pandemic, and the repercussions have been severe in many settings.
In the recently endorsed UNFPA reporting system following the onset of the Ghana pandemic, more than 4,000 cases were recorded and reported to the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU) between March and May 2020. This it’s just the tip of the iceberg.
The most vulnerable are the poor, marginalized, illiterate, unemployed and disabled, among others. These segments of the population are likely to suffer the most due to existing inequalities, including dependence on intimate partners for financial support with the resulting risks of exploitation, inadequate information on the pandemic, and challenges in accessing well-integrated SGBV , affordable and quality. response services, largely as a result of limited coordination and availability of referral mechanisms.
The above indicators reveal that gender-based violence is a serious cancer that must be given all necessary attention to eliminate it from our societies and from the world.
UNHCR Country Office staff are ready for #OrangeTheWorld
Photo | UNHCR Ghana
Call to action from the UN gender team
Ghana has strong policies and laws and is also a signatory to international and regional human rights frameworks that aim to prevent and respond to SGBV; The Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) community and its partners are also making numerous efforts to raise awareness about SGBV issues in coordination with the national gender architecture. However, the necessary progress has yet to be made. On this occasion of the global commemoration of 16 days of activism against gender violence, the United Nations system in Ghana calls on stakeholders to unite around the global issue to end all forms discrimination against women and girls. It is important that we organize, brainstorm, create synergies, form partnerships, and work together to ensure that:
- We support SGBV survivors
- We speak and we are not spectators
- Increase the allocation of resources to address SGBV
- Improve services for survivors of violence, including psychosocial support.
- Prosecute offenders and perpetrators of acts of violence
- Strengthen the implementation of existing laws related to SGBV
- Improve coordination among stakeholders to respond to SGBV
- Increase the knowledge and develop the capacity of essential service providers to improve service delivery.
- Expand existing referral mechanisms
- Expand the voice and participation of women in contributing to and promoting change at the national and sub-national levels and
- Embark on raising awareness through the media, social media platforms, traditional and religious institutions.
The UN system pledges its support to the people of Ghana and stands ready to support national efforts to address SGBV in all its forms.
