The sensitisation, in collaboration with Women in Law and Development in Africa (WILDAF) Ghana, and students from the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School, was centred on the Domestic Violence Act 2007 (Act 732) and the protections available in Ghana.

It engaged women at the Okushiebiade Community in Accra to take advantage of the processes available under the law to seek redress for domestic violence.

Madam Adelaide Benneh Prempeh, the Managing Partner at B&P Associates, said: “Although B&P Associates is primarily a corporate and commercial legal practice, our areas of practice include family, divorce and children matters, which invariably have elements of domestic violence.”

She said pro bono work was an integral part of the Firm’s culture with its mission being to widen access to justice and promote education of the law and its usefulness to society.

“Our focus is to give back to the community in which we operate by pursuing community legal outreach, and making a positive contribution where our services are most needed,” she added.

Madam Prempeh said the Firm decided to partner with WiLDAF on the celebration of International Women’s Day due to its extensive network in Ghana and beyond, using the law as a tool for development by ensuring that women’s rights were respected and promoted.

She expressed the hope to strengthen the capacity and efforts of NGOs such as WILDAF, doing excellent jobs in communities like Okushibiade.

She called for extensive awareness creation on domestic violence, which predominantly affected women and children in the family, with a spill-over effect on progress of the wider community.

Mr David William Akuoku- Nyantakyi, a Lawyer, advised participants to report abuses to the Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit of the Ghana Police Service for the appropriate redress and sanctions.

Mr Di’Vennci Lucas a representative from the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School, said it was a valuable experience to be part of the exercise and share ideas for better coexistence.

Miss Virginia Richards, a student, said it was interesting to note the similar patterns and forms of domestic abuse in Ghana and in communities in the United States.

“This underscores the fact that domestic abuse is a universal problem, and we all need to work to eradicate it,” she said.