The Western Region: The Human Rights and Development Services (HURDS), with support from GIZ under the Support to Human Rights, Gender Equality and Civil Society- S(HE) Project, has launched the Break the Silence project. The initiative aims to prompt social reflection on the impact of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) and discrimination in the Western Region.
According to Ghana News Agency, Break the Silence is a campaign designed to empower communities to confront the culture of silence surrounding SGBV and transform harmful societal norms into positive ones in the Western and Central Regions. During an inception meeting, Ms. Eva Ankrah, the Executive Director of HURDS, emphasized that the initiative seeks to create a platform for critical reflections among traditional leaders, religious authorities, state institutions, and the general public. The goal is to transform harmful traditional norms and practices that perpetuate violence against women, girls, and persons with disabilities.
Ms. Ankrah highlighted that while the 1992 Constitution guarantees the practice of religious and traditional beliefs, these should not be harmful or inhumane. She called on the National House of Chiefs to use their powers, as provided in Section 3(c) of the Chieftaincy Act, 2008, to modify practices that drive discrimination and perpetuate violence against women and girls. The project is a local subsidy under the GIZ Project, funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).
The inception meeting gathered key stakeholders with the intention of creating impactful messages and securing support for the project's implementation. Ms. Maribel Okine, the Western Regional Director for Gender, emphasized the importance of collective action to address discrimination and SGBV. She encouraged amplifying the voices of women, girls, and vulnerable groups to promote their rights and create a brighter future for everyone.
Participants of the session described it as insightful, revealing the root causes of violence in communities and emphasizing the need to address it.
