The Alliance of Feminists CSOs and Plan International Ghana have engaged females in five regions of the country on how to combat sexual and gender-based violence.

They are the Eastern, Central, Oti, Greater Accra and Volta regions. The Coordinator of the program, Miss Alimatu Issahak noted that it is imperative for all females to be well equipped on issues surrounding sexual violence and how to deal with it.

According to her, the engagement sought to educate girls that violence goes beyond physical assault and could come in the form of physiological and emotional trauma, among others.

She said the Alliance of Feminists CSOs in collaboration with Plan Ghana International aims at reaching out to young ladies in every part of the country especially in the remote parts of the country where gender and sexual violence is mostly reported.

Sexual violence is a human rights violation that predominantly affects women and girls due to systemic and structural inequality.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) describes sexual violence as any attempt to obtain a sexual act, or other act directed against a person’s sexuality using coercion, by any person regardless of their relationship to the victim, in any setting.

Across the world, governments have been urged to protect women and girls, make criminal justice systems victim-friendly and accessible, so there can be prosecution of perpetrators.

Director at the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, Thywill Kpe who was present emphasised the need for parents to educate their wards to refrain from acts considered as sexually violent.

This she explained at the workshop will ensure children grow up to become respectable adults as well as advocates for the end of sexual and gender-based violence.