The Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection has acknowledged the need for structural improvement and coordinated approaches to addressing issues affecting women, girls and vulnerable population in Sinoe County.
In a decisive call to improve the system, the Ministry convened a stakeholder engagement meeting in Greenville, Sinoe County on Wednesday, May 1, 2024, to address issues of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV).
During the stakeholders’ engagement meeting led by Deputy Minister Curtis V. Dorley, the central discussion focused on the need for effective and actionable solutions to address issues affecting women, children and vulnerable communities.
The gathering consisted of CSOs, INGOs, Sinoe Women Organization, Ministry of Justice, Youth and Disabled communities amongst others.
The stakeholders underscored the need for renewed actions that involve coordinated efforts among local organizations, law enforcement, healthcare providers, and national government.
They emphasized the need for expanding victim support services to Sinoe County, including the activation of a functional ‘Safe Home,’ psychosocial services and the extension of the Jury management system that will help with the proper selection of jurors for trials. The call for a strengthened justice system was unanimous.
Additionally, the stakeholders alarmed over the shortage of female police officers in the county, urging the Ministry of Gender to propose the appointment of female county attorney and police commander respectively.
There was a strong consensus on the importance of community-wide education initiatives, a massive awareness campaign on rape and other forms of violence against women and girls aimed at preventing SGBV. This call was considered crucial.
The engagement highlighted the importance of building partnerships between government agencies, CSOs, INGOs and community groups to address the root causes of SGBV and foster a safe environment for women and girls.
While various issues were addressed, stakeholders also emphasized the crucial need for empowerment of the local Gender office, noting that insufficient support and logistical constraints over the last six years have impeded the ministry’s operations in the county.
In that direction, Deputy Minister Dorley thanked the stakeholders for honoring the ministry’s invitation and reassured the government commitment to addressing the existing structural issues affected the fight against GBV.
Deputy Minister Dorley reechoed President Joseph Nyumah Boakai pledge to improving the livelihood of women, children, the elderly and disabled community and more.
The stakeholders’ engagement is a key component of the ministry’s ongoing county tour. This objective is to interact with those who are directly involve with the fight against SGBV and other forms of violence against women, children and the vulnerable population in the counties.
