Violence against women continues to be an obstacle to achieving equality, development, peace as well as fulfilment of women and girls’ rights.

Violence against women and girls is one of the most widespread, persistent and devastating human rights violations in our world which remains unreported mainly due to the impunity, silence, stigma and shame surrounding it.

These are the views of Mr Tetteh Tuwor, Central Regional Director of the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) and Detective Sergeant Boadi-Twum of the Central Regional office of the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU).

The country's unflinching commitment to achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) according to them, could not be fulfilled without putting an end to violence against women and girls regarded as vulnerable.

They were speaking at a day's sensitisation workshop for parents, boys and girls on gender, sexual base violence and rights, at Ajumako-Bisease in the Ajumako-Enyan-Essiam District.

The programme was organised by the Central Regional Department of Gender in collaboration with the Regional Coordinating Council (RCC) and supported by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).

The Central Regional Director of CHRAJ explained that social justice was a prime necessity in any society to function properly with every public service institution offering services and be equally available to all individuals.

Therefore, it was the citizen’s duty to report cases of impunity to the appropriate agencies to ensure that the law took its course and “thereby tackle the scourge of impunity in such cases in our communities.”

Mr Tuwor urged parents to be friends with their children to encourage free flow of information between them, adding that, “Unfriendly parents sometimes make their children to become rebellious and keep matters to themselves”.

They should monitor the movement of their children to prevent them from engaging in negative activities, such as smoking, alcoholism and other vices, adding that "it is the responsibility of all citizens to protect children; however that should start from the home".

Mr Tuwor appealed to traditional leaders, opinion leaders and all citizens to desist from attempts to settle domestic violence cases at home.

He called on community members to come together and report anti-social activities in their areas to duty bearers such as the Social Welfare and Community Development departments, the CHRAJ and others for redress.

Detective Boadi-Twum for his part, took the participants through sexual misconducts among others saying, violence of all forms against women and children especially girls could cause the death and incapacitation of women of reproductive age.

He reminded the public that having sexual intercourse with a girl below 16 years was criminal, while having forced sexual intercourse with an adult was rape.

He said both offences were liable to long-term prison sentences and therefore, entreated men to shun such temptations.