Globally, gender-based violence (GBV) is still widespread and rates of occurrence are persistently high, no matter if we talk of the Global North or Global South. Violence against women and girls remains one of the most prevalent and pervasive human rights violations in the world. Almost one in three women worldwide have been subjected to physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence, non-partner sexual violence, or both, at least once in their life or more frequently. In northern Ghana’s Savannah region, more than half of all women experience GBV, which is the highest level in Ghana.
GBV is strongly linked to the well-being of families, to economic development, to the introduction of sustainable agricultural or environmentally friendly practises, to achieving equality as well as to the fulfilment of women and girls’ human rights. Without ending violence against women and girls, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) will not be achieved.
This session of the INTERFACES colloquium series on “Sustainable land management in sub‐Saharan Africa: Improving livelihoods through local research” addresses “Gender-based violence in northern Ghana and the role of traditional leaders in combating it”, and was presented by Dr. Constance Awinpoka Akurugu, Senior Lecturer at the SDD University of Business and Integrated Development in Wa, Ghana.
