The National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) in the Akrofuom District of the Ashanti Region has organised a stakeholder engagement to discuss measures to curb the rising incidence of gender-based violence in the district.
The meeting brought together representatives from the clergy, religious organisations, educational institutions, youth groups, health practitioners, artisans, parents, students and counsellors.
Addressing participants, the Akrofuom District Director of the NCCE, Mr. Ali Kassim, said recent surveys indicate that the district is among the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) recording high cases of gender-based violence and adult reproductive health challenges.
According to him, drug abuse is also on the rise among the youth, further compounding social challenges in the district.
Mr. Kassim noted that although the Commission has undertaken several public education and outreach programmes on the issue, the problem persists.
He therefore called on all stakeholders to play active roles in addressing the situation to safeguard the future of the district.
The Gender Coordinator at the Akrofuom District Directorate of the Ghana Education Service (GES), Mrs. Mary Owusu Boateng, underscored the need for collective action to address the growing menace.
She observed that domestic, psychological, emotional and socio-economic abuse remain prevalent in the district, with women and other vulnerable groups being the most affected.
Mrs. Boateng attributed the situation partly to entrenched cultural practices and beliefs that continue to silence victims.
She stressed the need to eliminate outdated norms that discourage victims from speaking out against abuse.
“Most people, especially women, fail to report abuses because they fear societal perception. For men, hardly will they report when their spouses abuse them,” she said.
Participants at the meeting unanimously agreed that the failure of some parents to adequately discharge their responsibilities has contributed significantly to the increasing cases of gender-based violence.
They called on parents to take a more active role in nurturing and guiding their children while urging state institutions mandated to protect vulnerable persons to effectively carry out their responsibilities.
![School prefect Asuo Angela, on behalf of students of Sagnarigu Girls’ Model JHS [right], presents a petition to Sagnarigu MCE Abdulai Gong [left].](https://www.citinewsroom.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/SAGNARIGU-1-350x250.jpeg)
