UNFPA Executive Director visits MOGCSP Gender Based Response Centre

The Executive Director, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and UN Under-Secretary, Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin, has paid a working visit to the Gender Based Response Centre at Mallam Atta in Accra.
 
As part of its mandate to implement the Domestic Violence Act, the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection (MOGCSP), through the Domestic Violence Secretariat, established the center as one of the strategies in the Domestic Violence National Plan of Action.
 
The establishment of the center is a response by the Government of Ghana to the menacing challenge of Gender Based Violence in the country.
 
Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin, addressing a durbar at the Mallam Atta market, said markets were important places where people interacted for sustenance; therefore it was necessary that markets were built and developed as part of the national development agenda.
 
He encouraged women and girls to develop and build their skills to take up leadership roles in the society.
 
“We should provide training for every young girl to generate income to support themselves and the children they bear”, adding that, “gender-based violence is unacceptable and culprits must be imprisoned”.
 
The Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Mrs Nana Oye Lithur, also addressing the durbar, disclosed that the UNFPA was working on establishing community response centres for Gender Based Violence survivors in three selected markets in Accra and Kumasi.
 
“Agbogbloshie and Mallam Atta have been established, Oforikrom will soon be established”.
 
She said the aim of the response centers was to increase survivor safety and perpetrator accountability, as well as, coordinate and link core services, and provide immediate too long term health care, access to police, legal and counselling services
 
Furthermore, she said women empowerment remained key to the country’s development process, adding that vulnerable groups would be protected against gender based violence.
 
Mrs.  Lithur expressed gratitude to the UNFPA for their continuous and invaluable assistance to the ministry in its implementation of social interventions to promote the rights and welfare of all vulnerable persons in Ghana, especially women and children.
 
Madam Mercy Needjan, President Greater Accra Markets Association, expressed profound gratitude to the Ministry, for involving the market women in decision-making and discussing issues pertaining to their health and financial welfare
 
Source: ISD