Executive Director of the Human Rights and Development Service (HURDS), Eva Ankrah, has called for strict timelines in the adjudication of gender and sexual abuse cases, emphasising the need for swift justice to protect victims, particularly children.
Speaking at a stakeholder meeting to report on the KASA! Project, Mrs Ankrah said that in some jurisdictions, sexual abuse cases involving children are resolved within six weeks to a year. In Ghana, however, delayed justice forces victims to endure trauma, pain, and social stigma for extended periods.
“Real justice for perpetrators not only deters others but also offers relief to victims and their families,” she noted.
The KASA! Project, funded over the past seven months by the African Women Development Fund, engaged students from various Senior High Schools and communities to educate them on sexual abuse, reporting channels, and access to the Domestic Violence Fund under the Ministry of Children, Gender, and Social Protection.
She highlighted that many students had experienced sexual abuse but were hesitant to report due to fear, urging the establishment of specialised school reporting mechanisms to encourage disclosure.
As part of the project, 30 volunteers, alongside religious and community leaders, were trained to assist in reporting sexual abuse cases to the judiciary to ensure appropriate punishment.
She urged stakeholders to continue the work of the KASA! Project, even after its official conclusion, to ensure that both girls and boys are adequately protected from sexual abuse
Source: GNA
