Women protest against domestic violence at Ho

Ho, Nov. 25, GNA - About 60 people mainly women on Friday went on a protest march through the principal streets at Ho against the increasing incidence of domestic violence in society.

The march formed part of activities marking International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, celebrated annually on November 25 under United Nation's patronage, which heralds "16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence."

The day is being marked in the Volta Region under the aegis of Women in Development and Law (WiDAF) an NGO on Legal Awareness Programme.

They carried placards extolling the value of women in the home, society and damned those who beat their wives. Some of the placards read "Police! Rise Up Against Abuse of Women," "Manage Your Anger to Reduce Violence," "Only Weak Men Beat Their Wives" and "Report Abuse".

While those on the procession, comprising mainly young students of the Ho Polytechnic Legal Awareness club and members of Women's Initiative for Self-Empowerment (WISE) from Accra danced to brass band music people mainly women who were attracted to the streets asked what it was all about.

The one-hour procession ended at the offices of the Ho Municipal Assembly, where a petition was presented to the Municipal Chief Executive, Mr Mawutor Goh.

The petition asked the law enforcement agencies to act promptly on cases of rape, defilement, battery, assault, forced prostitution and forced marriages.

Mr Oliver Dzeble, Legal Officer of the Legal Awareness Programme who presented the petition to Mr Emmanuel Defor, Municipal Coordinating Director (MCD) told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that representatives of local women's groups were invited for the march but most of them could not attend.