The movement, including civil society actors, bemoaned the increasing cases of domestic abuse, sexual violence, workplace harassment and harmful cultural practices affecting women and girls.

This was contained in a communiqué issued after a stakeholders' dialogue as part of the commemoration of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence at Abesim near Sunyani last Friday.

The dialogue brought together 52 participants, including the Regional Director of the Department of Gender, Joycelyn Adii and the Regional Programme Manager of ActionAid Ghana, Kwame Afram Denkyira.

It was organised by the Department of Gender of the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection (MoGCSP), in partnership with YUWM and funded by ActionAid.

The YUWM is a group of young women between the ages of 15 and 35, with more than 700 members in the region.

Significant barriers

The communiqué said survivors continued to face significant barriers such as stigma, silence by their families, cases not reaching authorities and slow justice delivery.

"Too many survivors are left to navigate their pain alone.

They encounter systems that are slow, under-resourced and cases drag on without resolution," it said. 

It explained that state institutions mandated to protect women and girls struggled with limited logistics and human capacity.

It called on the MoGCSP to prioritise the fight against gender-based violence and back policies with adequate funding.

The communiqué urged the ministry to enforce existing laws, including the Domestic Violence Act and establish functional survivor shelters across the country.

It said many survivors had nowhere to go when their safety was threatened.

"We are asking for safe and well-resourced shelters where victims could receive temporary refuge, counselling, legal support and reintegration assistance," it stated.