NCCE calls for collective action to end gender-based violence

The National Commission for Civic Education, (NCCE), has made a renewed call for communities to take united, decisive action against Gender-Based Violence, (GBV), describing silence and inaction as a threat to social safety and national development.

Mr. Samuel Asare Akuamoah, NCCE Deputy Chairperson in charge of Operations who made the call, also urged parents and guardians to be more intentional, vigilant, and responsive to the upbringing of their children as a strategic measure to reduce adolescent pregnancies and protect the dignity of the girl child.

He noted, “When families are safe, when women and girls are protected from harm, and when perpetrators are held accountable, our entire community moves forward. The fight against GBV cannot be left to the police or to women alone. It is a collective duty.”

The NCCE Deputy Chairperson made the call at Sekesua in the Upper Manya Krobo District during a community engagement organized by the NCCE in partnership with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) with financial support from Global Affairs Canada.

The engagement was dubbed “Empowering Community and Youth for Adolescent Health, Gender Equality, and Preventing Gender-Based Violence through Civic Engagement,” and formed part of a wider community sensitization drive targeting 254 communities across the enclave.

Mr. Akuamoah, who also doubles as UNFPA Secretary, stated, “Everyone must eschew gender-based violence and embrace peace as a non-negotiable value. This is not a one-day conversation. It is a call to continuous, progressive action."

He commended residents for the strong turnout and urged them to move beyond dialogue to deliberate action in homes, schools, and community spaces.

Reinforcing the NCCE’s message, Superintendent Benjamin Buxton, Asesewa District Police Commander, said violence should never be used to resolve confrontation in marriage or at home.

He cautioned that violence is never a legitimate response to conflict in marriage or at home: “Dialogue and mutual respect must replace aggression. Violence perpetrated against anyone on the basis of their gender is barbaric, unlawful, and must stop. The laws of Ghana are clear and do not condone it,” Supt. Buxton said.

Supt. Buxton also encouraged victims and witnesses to report all incidents to the Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit, (DOVVSU) of the Ghana Police Service, adding “Silence emboldens perpetrators and makes our communities unsafe for everyone. Speak up, report, and let us hold each other accountable.”

Addressing participants, Ms. Helen Dzameshie representative of the Ghana Health Service (Sekesua) emphasized that parental responsibility goes beyond provision of food and shelter.

She stressed that meeting specific basic needs such as pomade, sanitary pads, and other essential amenities is critical in preventing teenage girls from seeking support from men who often demand sex in return.

“When parents fail to provide these basic necessities, our daughters become vulnerable to exploitation. That is how many of them fall into relationships that end in teenage pregnancy,” she stated.

Ms. Dzameshie further urged parents to actively monitor their children’s movement and whereabouts. She advised that bedtime checks should become a household practice to confirm that wards are safely at home.

“Know where your children are at all times. If it is bedtime, check that they are present in the house. This level of supervision is one of the surest ways to help eradicate adolescent pregnancies in our communities,” she added.

Expounding on the concept of sexual and reproductive health, Ms. Dzameshie described it as encompassing physical, mental, and social well-being in relation to sexuality and reproduction.

“It is not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. It is also the ability to have a safe, informed, and satisfying reproductive life, free from coercion and violence,” she explained.

The Chairperson for the occasion, Mr. Daniel Djabanor Narteh, a retired public servant, commended the NCCE-UNFPA partnership for bringing the GBV conversation directly to the grassroots. He also acknowledged Global Affairs Canada for financing the initiative.

Representatives from UNFPA, Mr. Nii Commey, Communication and Business Development Specialist, and Mr. Benjamin Adu Boahen, Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist, said the lessons shared must be translated into daily practice to build a healthier, safer community.

There was a poetry recital from Asesewa Methodist JHS on Adolescent Reproductive Health Right.The pupils (Miss Joana Narkie Partey and Beleon Jolie Emefa) educated the dignitaries and the participants on the importance of practicing personal hygiene for a healthy living.

The Sekesua engagement forms part of a broader NCCE-UNFPA campaign to promote civic responsibility, sexual and reproductive health literacy, and the elimination of all forms of gender-based violence across Upper Manya Krobo.