NGO marks UN Day For Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict
The United Nations General Assembly on June 19, 2015 approved by consensus, a new resolution to commemorate June 19 of every year as the International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict.
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By the resolution, the UN aims to raise awareness of the need to end conflict-related sexual violence, and also urges the international community to stand in solidarity with the survivors of sexual violence around the world.
Safeguarding peace
According to the Deputy Executive Director of Hope for Future Generations (HFFG), a gender-based non-governmental organisation, Mr Daniel Dotse, although Ghana had not experienced the magnitude of conflict and civil wars that had destroyed neighbouring countries, it was extremely important to safeguard the peace and stability that the country was enjoying in this year’s election because violence was not inevitable but could be prevented.
At a forum held by HFFG to mark the the first International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict, in Accra, Mr Dotse said there was the need for positive steps by government to prevent election-related conflicts and violence, before, during and after the November elections.
Vulnerable group
According to him, women and children were the most vulnerable group in society that would be affected by election-related conflicts, thus, it was important to consider the plight they might go through should there be any conflict, as the nation prepared itself for the upcoming 2016 general election.
The HFFG organised the programme in collaboration with the Palladium Group, an international development company, the National Population Council and the Women in Law Development, Africa (WiLDAF), with funding from the United Kingdom Department for International Development (DFID).
According to the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU) of the Ghana Police Service, one in every five, representing 19 per cent of women in Ghana, aged between 15 and 49 had experienced sexual violence. Additionally, for half of women who ever experienced sexual violence, the first experience occurred between the ages of 15 and 19 and 11 per cent first experienced sexual violence between the ages of 10 and 14.
Funding support
Mr Dotse said as a women and child-focused organisation, the HFFG with funding support from its donors, had been able to reach out to the vulnerable in society such as female porters, female sex workers, persons living with HIV, most of whom were women.
He said through its capacity-building approaches, the target groups were educated and introduced to stakeholders they could report cases of sexual abuse to.
However, he said what had worked best was the integration of sexual violence education in all its programmes, especially among young people, and the introduction of transformative gender norms in its programmes.
That notwithstanding, Mr Dotse said the organisation had encountered many challenges such as the unwillingness of victims to report cases of violence due to stigma and discrimination, family influence and pressure to settle cases at home.
Living as a refugee
Highlighting some of the experiences of refugees and victims of conflict-related violence, an Eligibility Officer of the Ghana Refugee Board, Madam Doris Tagoe, said sexual violence in conflict was a gross abuse of the human rights of an individual, and added that it was an inhuman and degrading treatment which could scare victims for life.
However, she said one of the ways by which such violence could be drastically reduced was for all stakeholders to make every effort to prevent conflicts.
Communication (BCC) Advisor for the Palladium Group, Ms Deborah Kwablah, in her remarks, said the media, as a key stakeholder, had a lot of role to play in the prevention of conflicts and as such, they should continuously use their various mediums to propagate the message of peace at all times.