Participants welcome Domestic Violence Bill

Obuasi, Sept 26, GNA - Participants at a seminar on the Domestic Violence Bill at Obuasi have welcomed bill since domestic violence and other abuses against children are on the increase in the society. Most of the participants who contributed during an open forum maintained that the impact of domestic violence, especially on children, was great and has had led to affected children becoming slow learners. "The introduction of the Domestic violence Bill is good since it will help guarantee the dignity of children in our homes", Miss Amina Achaa, a female teacher said.

The participants called for the intensification of the sensitisation programme on the bill especially in the rural communities. A female participant suggested that the bill should be stringent on child traffickers and also on parents who neglect their children. Chiefs, queen mothers, women groups and other opinion leaders drawn from Amansie Central, Adansi North, Adansi South and Obuasi municipal attended the seminar, which was organized by the Ministry of Women and Children's Affairs.

In a speech read for her, Hajia Alima Mahama, the sector minister, said domestic violence was prevalent and a nationwide research had shown that it cut across all sectors of the society. That was why, she said, the government had seen the need to come out with the legislation to address the problem since the current law in the country was inadequate in dealing with domestic violence. "The draft domestic violence legislation seeks to remedy all these anomalies and provides protection for all men, children and women", the Minister said.

Hajia Mahama called for proactive role of "individuals, opinion leaders, traditional authorities, the police, social workers, probation officers, health care providers and indeed the community at large in dealing with domestic violence".