PureTrust Foundation, partners launch project to promote collective action against SGBV

A six month-long project aimed at fostering collective action to address issues of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) in northern Ghana has been launched.

The project dubbed: “Champions of Change: Collective Resilient Action Against SGBV”, is being implemented in Tamale and Sagnarigu Municipalities in the Northern Region, and Bole and North Gonja Districts in the Savannah Region.

The project focuses on empowerment, advocacy, prevention, and support for survivors of SGBV within the beneficiary communities.

As part of the implementation strategy, the project will empower 200 women on financial resilience, promote gender family module practices in 20 communities to address household level SGBV as well as establish district level gender action movements to champion SGBV.

The project is being implemented by PureTrust Foundation LBG, an NGO based in Tamale, with funding support from GIZ under the support for gender equality, human rights and civil society in Ghana called the S(HE) project.

Other implementation partners include Vibrant Village Foundation LBG, Bole District Community Foundation, Songtaba, Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, and the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ).

The launch brought together stakeholders from government agencies, traditional and religious institutions, the Ghana Federation of Disability Organizations (GFD), women’s empowerment organizations, and youth groups.

Madam Jamila Tahiru, Projects Coordinator at PureTrust Foundation LBG, speaking during the launch in Tamale, said deep-rooted patriarchy in northern Ghana continued to perpetuate inequality, social injustice, and widespread abuse of women and girls.

She said women continued to face physical and emotional abuse, limited access to economic resources, and restricted opportunities.

She said the project was tailored to tackle those challenges through capacity-building and empowerment programmes aimed at enhancing inclusivity.

Madam Tahiru explained that the project sought to promote gender resilience and tackle SGBV through a united movement of change actors using participatory and digital advocacy, community-led action, and inclusive engagement.

She said, “This project recognizes the nuances of SGBV within the local context and prioritizes the involvement of experienced rights advocacy practitioners, who understand these dynamics.”

She expressed optimism that by the end of the project, survivors of SGBV would have greater access to protection and support services, women would demonstrate improved financial resilience, community leaders would sign commitments to make their communities SGBV-free, and community foundations would prioritize SGBV initiatives in their grant-making.

Mr Inusah Iddrisu, Principal Public Education Officer and Investigator, CHRAJ, Northern Region emphasized the negative implications of SGBV on community development and described the project as strategic and timely.

He urged stakeholders to support its effective implementation to reduce SGBV in the targeted communities.

During a roundtable panel  discussion at the event, Alhaji Musah Abdul-Majeed, Social Welfare Officer, Tamale Metropolitan Assembly, called on opinion leaders and family heads to stop shielding perpetrators of SGBV, saying such actions only emboldened abusers.

A representative from Planned Parenthood Association of Ghana (PPAG) also emphasized the safe spaces PPAG was currently providing for SGBV survivors and urged everyone to make use of them.

Mrs Shahadatu Abubakar Nimatu, Northern Regional President, GFD commended PureTrust Foundation LBG and its partners for the initiative.

She said its successful implementation would go a long way in protecting vulnerable groups, especially persons with disabilities, who were often victims of SGBV.

Mr Habib Haruna, Chief Executive Officer of PureTrust Foundation LBG, expressed gratitude to GIZ S(HE) project and other collaborating partners for supporting the champions of change collective resilient action against SGBV campaign.

Source: GNA