Accra: The Human Rights and Development Services (HURDS) has unveiled a new advocacy initiative aimed at tackling Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) in the Western Region. The project, titled ‘KASA!’, is designed to protect, empower, and sustain support for survivors of sexual violence.

According to Ghana News Agency, the project seeks to achieve access to justice through direct and targeted actions, bolstered by support from a dedicated fund. Madam Eugenia Dery, the Programme Officer at HURDS, highlighted at the inception meeting that a 2022 demographic and health survey reported one in seven women had experienced violence in their lifetime. Despite progress in addressing SGBV, issues related to vulnerability and poverty continue to persist.

Madam Maribel Okine, the Western Regional Director for the Department of Gender, announced the establishment of a fund dedicated to supporting victims of domestic violence. Additionally, Nana Egya Kwamina XI, the Chief of Apremdo, expressed concern over the increasing prevalence of issues like ‘for girls,’ sextortion, and sexual abuses in communities and schools. He called for enhanced collaboration and a revised institutional mandate to address these problems effectively.