Kumasi, Sept 2, GNA – Twenty (20) communities in the Kumasi Metropolis and Obuasi Municipality had been selected to pilot a project that seeks to give more protection to women dubbed: “Girl-Power Project”.

The communities include Asafo, Amakom, Oforikrom, Adum and Asawasi, all in Kumasi and in Obuasi communities selected included Anyinam, Mangoase, Tutuka, Bongobri and Gauso.

The project involves training in gender issues, education, socio-legal aid, monitoring and advocacy.

The Defense for Children International (DCI)-Ghana, a local NGO, with funding from the Dutch Government, is implementing the project.

Dr George Oppong Ampong, Executive Secretary of the NGO told journalists at a press briefing in Kumasi that the project would cover about 4,000 young girls and women.

He said they would work in collaboration with government’s institutions like the Department of Social Welfare, the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs, Domestic Violence Victims Support Unit (DOVSSU) and the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ).

Dr Ampong said there was the need to step up efforts at empowering and sensitizing the girl-child as well as the communities on gender base violence.

Additionally, he said, it was important to build the capacity of civil society organizations and other stakeholders to tackle the problem of violence and other forms of abuse suffered by women.

He called on the people in the beneficiary communities to embrace the project and support its successful implementation.