Bolgatanga, Dec 1, GNA - A chief has appealed to the Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU) and the Commission on Human Rights Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) to collaborate with traditional rulers on issues bordering on women's rights violation. The Chief of Binaba in the Upper East Region, Naba Moses Apea, made the appeal at a forum organised by Action Aid Ghana on "violence against women and HIV/AIDS" at Bolgatanga.

He said the two agencies could not effectively combat issues regarding violence against women and girls without involving chiefs. "Most of violent cases such as defilements, rapes and sexual harassment which are sent to these two bodies eventually come back to us to resolve and this explains why they should collaborate with us to deal with these issues."

The Paramount Chief of Kayoro, Pe Oscar Tiayamu, said violence was not only meted out against women by men and that there were many instances where many men also suffered violence meted out to them by women. He cited his traditional area where such violence meted out by women to their husbands was common and stressed the need to target both men and women when it comes to sensitization on violence issues. Pe Oscar Tiayamu said chiefs in the Region had been able to reduce negative cultural practices as compared to the past and commended Action Aid Ghana for supporting chiefs.

The Chief of Yorogo in the Bolgatanga Municipality, Naba Johnson Awuni called on women to ensure that girls were sent to school to enable them to become empowered in future.

The Programme Manager of Action Aid Ghana, Mr James Kwesi Boamah, said some women were being subjected to human rights violations in the name of culture and appealed to chiefs to stop such negative cultural practices. The Upper East Deputy Regional Minister, Mrs. Lucy Awuni, appealed to people in leadership positions especially chiefs to join the crusade against HIV and AIDS stigmatization.