Women in Ghana have launched a campaign against domestic violence in support of a bill addressing domestic violence introduced in parliament. The Foundation of Female Photojournalists (FFP) developed a documentary addressing domestic and gender-based violence in order to “motivate viewers to support initiatives that would assist victims of gender violence and the quest to build a society of equal rights to all,” Ghana News Agency reports. The documentary provides information regarding gender and domestic violence, as well as strategies to address these issues.
According to Esther Obeng Dapaah, a member of Ghana’s parliament, the existing domestic violence laws under the criminal code provide punishments to perpetrators, but do not provide compensation for the victim or counseling for the victim and abuser, reports the Ghanaian Chronicle. Dapaah is advocating for support of the Domestic Violence Bill currently being considered by parliament, which will address these and other shortcomings in the existing criminal code.
Mardey Owui Ofoe, executive director of FFP, said that gender-based and domestic violence still persist in Ghana and have “become a menace worsened by culture of silence,” according to the Ghana News Agency. The French Embassy, which provided funding for the documentary, expressed hope that the documentary will be broadcast nationwide in order to promote gender equity and increase public education on gender and domestic violence issues.
