Hajia Alima Sagito-Saeed, Executive Director, Savannah Women Integrated Development Agency (SWIDA-GH), an NGO, has underscored the need to break the culture of silence on issues of sexual violence to help minimise its prevalence in the country.
She said, ‘When people are abused sexually, and they remain silent without reporting, it gives the perpetrators the boldness to devour other people.’
She was speaking at a forum in Tamale organised by SWIDA-GH under its KASA Project in partnership with the Media and Communication Department of the Tamale Technical University (TaTU).
Other partners included the Centre of Equity and Equal Opportunities of TaTU, the African Women’s Development Fund with funding support from the Ford Foundation and the Open Society Initiative for Africa (OSIWA).
The event, which also formed part of activities to commemorate this year’s 16 Days of Activism Against Sexual and Gender-based Violence (SGBV), brought together participants from selected Senior High Schools in Tamale, young f
emale leaders, women commissioners from tertiary institutions in the region, male champions among other stakeholders.
Miss Khadija Abdul-Sammed, Project Lead, KASA Project, said it had provided training and mentorship support to some selected youth to act as advocates against sexual violence in their schools and communities.
Mrs Linda Amoah, Girls Education Officer, Northern Region, said women and girls were the worst affected by issues of sexual violence, adding that they must be courageous to speak on their rights.
She appealed to opinion leaders not to shield perpetrators of SGBV.
Aisha Mohammed, a beneficiary of the KASA Project, commended SWIDA-GH and partners for the platform to advocate for their rights and other vulnerable groups in their communities.
Source: Ghana News Agency
