SWIDA-Ghana Empowers Women Advocates to Combat Sexual and Gender-Based Violence.

Tamale: A training workshop focused on empowering women advocates to enhance their skills and confidence in addressing Sexual and Gender-based Violence (SGBV) issues was recently held in Tamale. The workshop aimed to equip these women to effectively advocate for the rights of other women and girls within educational institutions and various communities.According to Ghana News Agency, the training was organized by the Savannah Women Integrated Development Agency (SWIDA-Ghana), a non-governmental organization, with funding support from the African Women's Development Fund (AWDF). This initiative is part of the KASA project, which is dedicated to raising awareness about SGBV in northern Ghana. The event saw the participation of approximately 50 women leaders, including Women Commissioners from several tertiary institutions in the Northern and North East Regions. The workshop aimed to enhance their skills on SGBV and expose them to institutions mandated to support the fight against SGBV, along with educating th em on the legal framework and reporting mechanisms.The event, themed 'Towards Beijing+30: Unite to End Violence Against Women and Girls', also served as a platform for participants to share personal experiences related to SGBV, broadening their perspectives and identifying red flags to aid in their advocacy campaigns. Hajia Alima Sagito-Saeed, Executive Director of SWIDA-Ghana, emphasized the importance of equipping young women leaders with the necessary information, skills, and confidence to lead efforts to end gender-based violence in their communities and institutions.Hajia Sagito-Saeed highlighted the role of these trained leaders as first contact points for SGBV issues within their communities and institutions to ensure a prompt response for victims. She also mentioned the project's collaboration with school counselors to ensure that cases of gender-based violence are professionally managed, and referrals are facilitated for cases beyond their capacity. She noted the link between women's economic vul nerability and gender-based violence, encouraging women to pursue economic empowerment to help reduce abuse cases.Madam Fadila Fuseini, Executive Director of Tiyumba Hope Foundation, stressed the importance of collaborative efforts from all stakeholders to end SGBV in the country. She highlighted the need for comprehensive sex education to teach young people about consent, healthy relationships, and the severe consequences of gender-based violence.Madam Addy Kehinde Hussanat, Gender and Social Inclusion Officer at the Girls Empowerment Mission (GEM-Ghana), presented on understanding SGBV from legal perspectives. She identified gaps in the fight against gender-based violence, including limited resources, dwindling funding support, cultural and social norms, and restricted access to justice. She encouraged victims to report cases to security agencies, traditional authorities, and trusted family members to facilitate justice processes.