Gender Ministry Moves to Strengthen Support Systems for Women and Girls Facing Violence
The Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection (MoGCSP) is working with key stakeholders to strengthen the systems for providing coordinated support to women and girls subjected to violence.
As part of the effort, the Domestic Violence Secretariat of the Ministry, with support from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), organised a two-day National Stakeholders Review Meeting on the Essential Services Package for Women and Girls Subjected to Violence in Accra.
The meeting brought together selected regional officers of the Ministry and other stakeholders involved in preventing and responding to violence against women and girls. It provided an opportunity for participants to assess how the Essential Services Package was being implemented, share experiences, and identify gaps affecting the delivery of quality and coordinated services to survivors. Regional officers also reported on their coordinated essential services activities and shared practices that could help improve service delivery.
Delivering a statement on behalf of the Chief Director of MoGCSP, the Director of the Domestic Violence Secretariat, Melonin Asibi, stressed the importance of putting survivors at the centre of all interventions.
She said services must protect the safety, dignity, privacy and rights of women and girls subjected to violence, while emphasising the need for stronger collaboration among institutions responsible for providing support.
According to her, effective coordination among health, social welfare, police and justice institutions was critical to ensuring survivors could access the services they needed without unnecessary delays or gaps in support.
Madam Asibi encouraged the regional officers and other stakeholders to engage actively in the discussions and contribute practical recommendations towards achieving the objectives of the meeting.
A representative of UNFPA commended the Ministry, particularly the Domestic Violence Secretariat, for convening the meeting and underscored the importance of effective referral systems and clear coordination mechanisms.
He noted that strong referral systems were necessary to ensure survivors were not left without the assistance and protection they required.
He reaffirmed UNFPA’s commitment to working with MoGCSP and other stakeholders to strengthen systems for preventing and responding to gender-based violence and to promote the protection, dignity and rights of women and girls.
The discussions focused on existing referral mechanisms and inter-agency coordination in responding to cases of violence, with particular attention to ensuring that survivors and affected children received appropriate and timely health, social, police and justice services.
Participants also reviewed the 2026 Work Plan and achievements, sharing experiences and identifying areas requiring further attention.
Grace Acheampong, ISD
