This was disclosed  by the Country Director of Plan International Ghana, Solomon Tesfa-Mariam at  apress confrence held to ark the International Day for Elimination f Violence against  women across the world on November 25th and also launch the start of the 16 days of activism against gender based violence.

Mr Tesfa-Mariam stated that despites the United Nation's adoption of the Convention on Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women by the UN General Assembly in 1979, violence against women remains a pervasive problem worldwide.

He said that issues of defilement, rape, physical assault, domestic violence, child marriage among others constitue gender violence noting that the abuse now happens in churches,work places and homes.

He said these abuses have long term phsyical and pycological effects on women and girls. He urged the Minister of  Gender, Children and Social Protection Honorable Cynthia Morrison to work with other ministers to help resource the security agencies, particularly, the Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit f Ghana Police Service to help top violence against women.

Barima Akwasi Amankwaah of the Ghana Non-Governmental Coalition said the

Girls Advocacy Alliance (GAA) of Plan Ghana International, a collaboration with Plan Nederlands will help to adress issues of gender violence, child marriage, commercial sexual exploitation of children and increase of access to technical and vocational training for girls as well as decent work.

He said implementation of the project is being done in the Upper West, Northern, Ashanti and Greater Acccra Regions after a research was done in these areas.

Mr Amankwah added that GAA will use advocay and lobbying, media engagements, research and policy analysis as well as sensitization and capacity busilding to help fight against  this phenomena affecting women and girls.

He sai some of the issues affecting the fight against abuse is the cutural biases that allow the men who perpetrate these crimes to go free. He added the legal systems and late reportage or rape issues have not helped with solving cases.

The GAA has institued empowerment programs such as meeting the girls at school level to dicsuss issues on self esteem, reproductive health and leadership, creating active participation to get the necessary exposure as well as organising girls camps.

Madam Anna Nabere of the GAA said women and girls empowerment brings to mind skills training, therefore they will provide them with the right information to impove their lives. She said people are misled by the wrong information. Therefore empowering firls at the shool level using models such as the Champions of Change model will help to achieve their aim.

Madam Nabere added that training and encouragement will help the girls achieve not just  education and empowerment but gainful employment as well.

The Girls Advocacy Alliance (GAA) is a 5-year joint project (2016-2020) led by the Dutch offices of Plan International, Terre des Hommes and Defence for Children – ECPAT and funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The project aims to promote equal rights and opportunities for girls and young women in 10 countries spread across Africa and Asia.