Causes of domestic violence in ghana and how to tackle them. According to act 732 of the parliament of the republic of ghana, domestic violence within the context of previous or existing relationship means. Factors influencing domestic and marital violence against women in ghana pdf. Domestic violence is defined as a family member, a partner or an expartner physically or psychologically dominating through economic, sexual or emotional abuses. An exploratory study in upper west region, ghana article pdf available in international journal of humanities and social science 412 november 2014. Domestic violence is a reality in many parts of the world.
The domestic violence act, 1999 parliament of trinidad. Combating of domestic violence act 4 of 2003 gg 3002 brought into force on 17 november 2003 by gn 2342003 gg 3094 note that there are two versions of gg 3002. The domestic violence act, 1999 arrangement of sections part i preliminary section 1. Library of congress law library of congress lloc family reunification laws in selected jurisdictions july 2014 pdf non government organization reports. In ghana, there has been a burgeoning recognition among academic discourses coupled with a depth of commitment by the government of ghana through the ratification of myriad of international conventions and the promulgation of several national policy and legal reforms in recent decades for example, domestic violence act. Determinants of domestic violence against women in ghana. Notably, the act acknowledges that perpetrators and survivors of domestic violence do not have to be married or related by blood ties. Global statistics indicate that six out of 10 women will experience some form of physical or sexual violence in their lifetime. The socially destabilizing phenomenon is now as much a problem in ghana as it is in south africa. An act to provide protection from domestic violence particularly for women and children and for connected purposes.
The study used data from the 2008 ghana demographic and health survey. Domestic violence, including protection, services and. Were working hard to finish the development of our website. One of the six has played a pivotal role in the development of the domestic violence act in the early 2000s as well as the legal instruments for. Domestic violence intimate partner violence, sexual harassment.
This work explored the phenomenon of men as victims of domestic violence in the nabdam. The domestic violence act was passed in ghana in 2007 marking a shift in the legal recourse available to survivors. Within west africa, domestic violence is widespread and often legally allowed. Though many efforts have been made by both state and nonstate agencies to eliminate violence against women, it still remains the dark side of societys life. Ministry of women and childrens affairs, ghana pdf of law in english pdf of law in. The act was contradicted by many ghanaian men and religious leaders who were convinced that such a law is against the traditional african values and that the law was. Now, ghana was of course only the second country in subsaharan africa to put in place a domestic violence act and that is. Launch of domestic violence research report in ghana gov. Type of measure, violence against women legislation. Nevertheless, the main conclusion that most media reports and research into elections. Legislation online ministry of women and childrens affairs, ghana pdf of law in english doc.
Act 732 domestic violence act, 2007 2 a number of acts that form a pattern of behaviour may amount to domestic violence even though some or all of the acts when viewed in isolation may appear mi nor or tri vial. Domestic violence is prevalent in ghana, owing in part to a deep cultural belief that it is socially. In 2007 the ghanaian government created the domestic violence act in an attempt to. Domestic violence is contrary to the namibian constitution. A 2011 report on the ghana police services domestic violence and victim support unit dovvsu, published by voluntary service overseas. Violence and discrimination against lgbt people in ghana, shows how retention of section 1041b of the criminal offences act.
Analysis of the domestic legal framework on sexual violence. A case study design was employed for this study and one hundred and. This case study sought to explore the issue of domestic violence against women as a human rights violation, its effects, causes and prevalence in the effutu municipality of ghana. Ten years ago, ghana passed the domestic violence act, the west african nations first law to explicitly criminalize domestic abuse.
Act of the parliament of the republic of ghana entitled data protection act, 2012 an act to establish a data protection commission, to protect the prnacy of the individual and personal data by regulating the processing of personal information, to provide the process to obtain, hold, use or disclose personal information and for related matters. Domestic violence, ghana, woman, men, risk factors background domestic violence is the intentional use of physical force or power, threatened or actual, against oneself, another person, or against a group or community that either results in or has a high likelihood of resulting in injury or death 1. An indepth study on violence against women conducted by the gender studies and human rights documentation centre gender centre determined that one in three ghanaian women suffer from physical violence at the hands of a past or current partner. Domestic violence has been condemned by international agreements which namibia. Analysis of the domestic legal framework on sexual. The study also examined the regional differentials of domestic violence against women in ghana. Form of violence, domestic violenceintimate partner violence, sexual. The domestic violence act was passed in ghana in 2007 marking a shift in the legal recourse available to survivors of intimate partner violence.
Providing better protection for victims of domestic violence in ghana summary although ghana passed the domestic violence act in 2007, the absence of a legal instrument backing the law has left the provision and coordination of services needed by domestic violence survivors in the hands of nonstate actors. Breanna wilkerson is an intern for the council on foreign relations. To provide for the issuing of protection orders in domestic violence matters. Ghana national action plan for the implementation of the. Ghana is not excepted from the global problem of widespread domestic violence. Elections in ghana, unlike voters registration exercise are conducted in a day and if we could not peacefully resolve registration problems with all the time at our disposal such that differences and arguments turned into violence, what is the guarantee that electoral arguments will be amicably resolved to prevent violence on election day. Causes of domestic violence in ghana and how to tackle.
Mar 18, 20 edited version of a longer article by patricia isabella essel, communications and advocacy manager at womankinds partner wildaf ghana though many efforts have been made by both state and nonstate agencies to eliminate violence against women, it still remains the dark side of societys life. Combating of domestic violence act 4 of 2003 namibia. A total number of 1671 women aged 1549 made up the study sample. May 02, 2016 interventions in ghana include the setting up of domestic violence and victim support unit dovsu of the ghana police service, two specialist genderbased violence courts, provision of shelter for survivors of domestic violence and the passage of the domestic violence act 732 on february 21, 2007. She graduated from spelman college with a degree in women. Now, ghana was of course only the second country in subsaharan africa to put in. The relevance of a ghana national action plan for the implementation of resolution 25 in particular and ultimately for the maintenance. This is coupled with the fact that ghana is involved in the maintenance of international peace and security by contributing troops to different peace support and peacekeeping operations. Pdf the effectiveness of the domestic violence act 2007. Enactment short title, act inconsistent with constitution 290 no. This is any sexual act, attempt to obtain a sexual act, unwanted sexual comments or advances or acts to traffic or otherwise directed, against a persons sexuality using coercion, by any person regardless of their relationship to the victims, in any setting, including but not limited to home and work. However, domestic violence is mostly seen as synonymous with violence against women.
It looks at the use of abusive language in politics, election observation, gender related violence and the role of the youth in ghanaian politics. Globally, 30% of women experience violence from intimate partners and 36. It also violates existing criminal laws such as those on assault, indecent assault and child abuse, as well as being covered by the combating of domestic violence act. An act to provide protection from domestic violence. Library of congress law library of congress lloc family reunification laws in selected jurisdictions july 2014 pdf nongovernment organization reports. A man in lagos, who accused his 36 year old wife of having an affair with his father, returned home on a saturday, filled with rage. Ghana domestic violence act, 2007, act 732 the parliament of the republic of ghana date of assent. Domestic violence means engaging in the following within the context of. The effectiveness of the domestic violence act 2007 in the reduction of intimate partner violence against women in accra, ghana. The six alumnae of that programme have been influential in many ways in this movement. Domestic violence act 732 international labour organization. The act is amended by the criminal procedure act 25 of 2004 gg 3358. Lynch mobs are increasingly becoming an unsettling social issue in ghana. Ghana enacted the domestic violence act, 2007, in 2007 ghana 2007.
Combating of domestic violence act 4 of 2003 namibia legal. It also analyses inter and intra party conflicts and further looks at the linkage between politics and violence in ghana. These statistics are unfortunately not unique to ghana and are part of an international and regional epidemic. Aug 17, 2016 we hope this discussion will encourage more victims of violence to do so. The goal of my research is to identify the social, cultural, and legal changes that have occurred in accra, ghana and the surrounding areas since the passage of the dv act. This legislation takes a progressive approach to addressing domestic violence. Domestic violence is the intentional use of physical force or power, threatened or actual, against oneself, another person, or against a group or community that either results in or has a high likelihood of resulting in injury or death.
In 2007, the ghanaian government has created the domestic violence act ghana in an attempt to reduce the percentage of ghanaian women who suffer from domestic violence every day. Domestic violence against men in the nabdam district of ghana. According to a 2011 survey by mics, 60 percent of ghanaian women believe that husbands are justified in beating their wives, for a variety of reasons. Domestic violence means engaging in the following within the context of a previous or existing. But still in 2015, of more than 15,000 domestic abuse cases filed and supported by police, only about 1 percent ended in convictions. Balancing the gender issues in nigeria anthony abayomi adebayo department of sociology, federal university oyeekiti, ekiti state, nigeria. According to act 732 of the parliament of the republic of ghana, domestic violence within the context of previous or existing relationship means engaging in. Providing better protection for victims of domestic violence in ghana summary although ghana passed the domestic violence act in 2007, the absence of a legal instrument backing the law has left the provision and coordination of services needed by domestic violence survivors in the hands of non state actors. We hope this discussion will encourage more victims of violence to do so.
Supported by several years of advocacy efforts by key civil society organisations and womens rights organisations, the government of ghana enacted the domestic violence act act 732 on 21st. The aim of this study was to identify factors that increased the likelihood of an event of domestic violence as reported by ever married ghanaian women. The present study defines violence against women to mean cultural practices that degrade and dehumanize women in ghana as well as physical, psychological and economic acts of abuse. The act provides protection to victims of domestic violence, defines domestic violence, prohibits domestic violence, and illustrates the role of police in protecting domestic violence victims ibid. Attorney kristine lizdas, and ghana law school students redeemer emmanuel. The problem of domestic violence is more prevalent in rural areas and the northern regions of ghana. The domestic violence act, 2007 act 732 of ghana was a conscious legal response by the state to provide protection for persons in a domestic setting against violence and also to promote human dignity in accordance with provisions of the 1992 constitution and international acceptable norms and practices. The prevalence of domestic violence remains unacceptably high with numerous consequences ranging from psychological to maternal and neonatal mortality and morbidity outcomes in pregnant women. This report discusses the findings of a georgetown law international womens human rights clinic factfinding team that traveled to ghana, africa in march 2003 to investigate domestic violence. The objects of the act are inter aliato a provide immediate injunctive relief to victims of domestic violence.
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