Gender-based violence remains a global phenomenon with the same root cause of inequality and gender norms. Contrary to established cultural norms, traditional values, religious precepts and social standards, violence against women and girls remains a nagging and turbulent issue to individual, family and community development.
Reporting violence is generally low and is often treated as a family or traditional issue and must be managed as such. Ghana Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS, 2011), Ghana Statistical Service (GSS, 2012) pegged Northern Region as the most hit in reported cases of violence against women and girls, and also as the region that usually interferes with the justice system. Invariably, women and girls subjected to SGBVs seriously suffer both physically and psychologically and in most reported cases, these acts against girls truncate their education.
Women lose focus of livelihood ventures and remain socially and economically dependent on husbands/ partners or other men, thus worsening their vulnerability. Survivors of especially sexual violence are stigmatized and remain social isolates Under the HIV/TB Community System Strengthening Programme of the Global Fund, YOVI in collaboration with the Ghana HIV and AIDS Network (GHANET) is implementing the Gender-based Violence/Intimate Partner Violence (GBV/IPV) project in the Mion District of Northern Region of Ghana.
This project is using a combination of strategies including community radio, community durbars, community information centres, meeting with smaller groups at community level and one-on-one activities to achieve the project objectives and outcomes.