Make Use of Social Media to Help fight SGBV – Hajia Alima to girls

Executive Director for the Savannah Women Integrated Development Agency (SWIDA – Gh), Hajia Alima Sagito-Saeed has advised girls to make good use of social media to create more awareness on ending SGBV in their communities.

She gave this advice in Tamale, during a refresher training of Girls Leaders in the Institutions on Sexual and Gender-based Violence (SGBV).

The programme was part of the KASA! Ending Sexual Violence Project was organised by the Savannah Women Integrated Development Agency (SWIDA-GH) in partnership with the Ghana Education Service and the Ghana Health Service, which is aimed at building the capacity of Girls confirmed to fight sexual violence in institutions and communities.

According to Hajia Alima, the use of social media to spread messages about sexual harassment is one of the important tools which can help people become more knowledgeable about the topic.

She added that social media awareness creation would assist victims of sexual harassment feel comfortable in reporting their situations and lead to the prevention of sexual harassment.

A Student from Anbariya Senior High School, Seidu Amatu however appealed to Stakeholders to support government to enforce the laws on fighting against sexual and Gender-based Violence (SGBV) in the country.

She noted that mostly, the perpetrators of girl child sexual abuse were often not punished by the authorities in charge of these cases due to interference by some traditional leaders and politicians.

Amatu indicated that stakeholders should play a critical role in responding to and creating access to justice for women and girls who have suffered sexual and gender-based violence in the country.

She stated that the rising number of victims of sexual and gender-based violence in the country requires a systematic approach to address these cases.

According to her, there should be effectively enforced laws which would protect women and girls from sexual and gender-based violence and also to hold the perpetrators to account for their actions.

Miss Khadijah Abdul-Samed, the Project Lead for KASA! Ending Sexual Violence stated that the two years Project implemented by SWIDA – GH started this year was funded by African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF).

The project is being implemented in ten education institutions within Sagnarigu Municipal and Tamale Metropolis.

The project was aimed at producing 200 female advocates in Sexual and Gender Based Violence SGBV.

UDS Counselor Urges Stakeholders To Build Confidence Of Girls To Report Abuse

Assistant Registrar in-charge of Counseling at the University for Development Studies (UDS), Alhaji Alhassan Hussein, has called on stakeholders to build confidence of girls to report incidences of sexual violence.

He said stakeholders should enhance learning and awareness creation for girls to have confidence to report sexual violence without fear.

Alhaji Hussein made the call during a Situational Analysis and Capacity Building Workshop in Tamale for guidance and counseling units to address Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV) in educational institutions.

The event, which was part of the KASA! Ending Sexual Violence Project, which raises awareness on sexual violence in the north, was organised by the Savannah Women Integrated Development Agency (SWIDA-GH), in partnership with the Ghana Education Service and the Ghana Health Service.

It was to enhance the capacity of counselors to address challenges and exploit opportunities to promote anti-sexual violence and defend girls exposed to SGBV in educational institutions.

Alhaji Hussein said governing bodies, headteachers, principals, and senior leadership teams should designate safeguarding leads to end sexual violence and harassment amongst students at all levels.

Madam Linda Amoah, an Officer from the Northern Regional Girls Education Unit, said the effects of child sexual abuse could be long–lasting, which affected the victim’s mental health.

Mostly in the communities the perpetrators of girl-child sexual abuse were often related to the victim, she said, and urged traditional leaders and parents to support the victims to report the case to the authorities, rather than covering up due to cultural biases.

Mr Benjamin Asamoah, the Director of Counseling, Tamale Technical University, advised parents to train their children on human rights to make them confident to report sexual violence issues to them (parents).

He said poverty also promoted people’s vulnerabilities to sexual crimes in communities and schools, hence the need to empower parents to provide the needed care for their children.

Madam Khadijah Abdul-Samed, the Project Leader of KASA! Ending Sexual Violence, said the two-year project being implemented by SWIDA – GH, was funded by the African Women’s Development Fund.

It is being implemented in 10 educational institutions within the Tamale Metropolis and the Sagnarigu Municipality to produce 200 female advocates in SGBV.

Gender Equality is Necessary for Poverty Reduction – SWIDA – Gh

The Executive Director for the Savannah Women Integrated Development Agency, SWIDA – Gh, Hajia Alimah Sagito Saeed, has encouraged the need for fusing gender equality in all aspects of human approaches, to help in poverty reduction.

Hajia Alimah, who spoke to the Ghana News Agency in Tamale, indicated that “women had suffered a lot to the point where some are regarded as inferior to men and as such, are disallowed from playing any role in society.

According to her, the situation is worsened by refusal of victims of Gender based Violence to report to the authorities.

She said some families have the belief that managing Gender based violence at home and not reporting it to authorities, helps to save the image of the family.

The Executive Director urged opinion leaders to make available equal opportunities for women to use their talents to make better choices for themselves, their families and communities.

SWIDA – Gh, AfriYouth and Databank Train Students on Career and Personal Development

A partnership between the Savannah Women Integrated Development Agency (SWIDA – Gh), AfriYouth and Databank, has seen six hundred students of the Tamale Islamic Senior High School go through some empowerment, to position them well and make them ready for the real world after senior high school.

He students were taken through areas including career guidance, Sexual and Gender Based Violence against women and Leadership, as well as investment as a student.

So far, the project has reached 5,000 students in six senor high schools in the Tamale Metropolitan and Sagnarigu Municipal areas.

Speaking to the students as part of the session, the Executive Director for SWIDA – Gh, Hajia Alimah Sagito – Saeed, bemoaned the some of the challenges students have to go through to study, but encouraged them to sit tight because it is all supposed to be part of the training process.

According Hajia Alimah, every young person deserves to study and grow in a conducive environment, where opportunities are made available to them as they learn and even after school.

She encouraged the students, especially the girls, to remain tough and avail themselves for leadership positions.

She added that these are some of the initiatives young people need to help them grow and to reach their full potential.

Two Schools In Savelugu Receive Books From World Vision through SWIDA – Gh

Two schools in the Savelugu Municipality of the Northern Region have taken delivery of 250 copies of textbooks and 200 notebooks to enhance teaching and learning.

The textbooks covered subjects such as English Language, Mathematics and Science for primary and Junior High School levels.

The beneficiary schools were Savelugu Girls Model School and Junior High School, as well as Kanshegu M/A Junior High School.

In addition to the books, the schools received sanitation and cleaning materials including 20 boxes of yazz sanitary pads, waste bins, wheelbarrows, standing brooms, rakes among others.

The items, worth GH¢13,000.00, were presented to the schools by World Vision Ghana, an international NGO, as part of its efforts to promote girl – child education in the area.

Mr. Felix Apeti, Savelugu Cluster Manager of World Vision Ghana, speaking during the handing over at Savelugu, said the gesture formed part of the NGO’s project to end Child Marriage and all forms of violence against children.

Mr. Apeti added that it was also to enhance environmental health and sanitation in the schools and homes and keep surroundings clean for human habitation and promote a healthy environment.

He urged the pupils to desist from open defecation to avoid diseases.

Hajia Alima Sagito Saeed, Executive Director for the Savannah Women Integrated Development Agency (SWIDA – Gh), who addressed the students, said girls who received education were less likely to marry at early ages and are more likely to lead healthy and productive lives.

She called on stakeholders to promote girls’ education in the communities to strengthen them against inequality.

SWIDA – Ghana marks International Women’s Day – 2022 in Tamale with student leaders

The Savannah Women Integrated Development Agency (SWIDA – Gh) has marked the International Women’s Day with student leaders in various schools in and around Tamale.  

The event which took place at the auditorium of the Tamale Technical University, is on the theme ‘’BREAKING THE BIAS: Speaking out Towards a Gender Equal World Today for a sustainable Tomorrow”, and was in collaboration with the office of the TATU Women’s Commissioner.

The International Women’s Day, celebrated every 8th of March, is a day on which the society is reminded about the inequalities that exist between men and women, as well as what needs to be done to bridge the gap of unfairness in families and at the workplaces, to which women are always at the receiving end.

This year’s theme “Breaking the Bias”, seeks to call out all the acts of bias and discrimination that take place in society, which hinder the growth and well-being of the woman.

SWIDA – Gh’s event on the day, is one such events, aimed at giving a voice to the woman to call out the bias and to reassure the society of the potentials she has, which therefore put her at the right position to earn opportunities.

In attendance to the event included 200 young female leaders across tertiary institutions in the northern region, associations, SHS students, the Song-Ba Empowerment Centre, as well as members of some youth led – organisations who are partners of SWIDA – GH.

Speakers at the event included the former Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Sagnarigu, Hajia Mariam Iddrisu, the former Regional Director for the Dept. of Gender, Mr Zakari and the Regional Girls Education Officer, Madam Linda Amoah.

The speakers in their speech highlighted everyday stories that resonate with the theme and why we need to collectively tackle these issues that do not promote the growth of women or endanger their lives. 

Speaking on the topic ‘’ becoming the bias breaker’ Hajia Mariam Iddrisu, former MCE for the Sagnarigu municipality and now the Executive Director of Girls to Women Foundation shared some steps towards breaking the bias.

According to Hajia Mariam, as the first female MCE in a more conservative community in the northern region, she is a bias breaker herself.

She highlighted her experiences from her days as a student leader in the university to occupying the post of the MCE for Sagnarigu.

The former MCE mentioned the steps, challenges and lessons learnt in her journey towards occupying a leadership position.

As a bias breaker, she says girls need to be assertive, believe in their leadership ability and have a great support system that they can rely on before they can become bias breakers.

The regional Girls Education Officer, Madam Linda, speaking on the topic: “The Impact of Gender Bias on the development of Northern Ghana” ,highlighted biases towards girls and how these negatively affect their development and growth.

To madam Mariam, the fight to breaking the bias is an all-inclusive one.

She particularly called out parents, community and religious leaders who are deeply involved in giving out girls to marriage either planned or unplanned, rather than getting them educated.

She said women should be open to change in developing their inner strength, their ambitions, and their passion, rather than consciously demoralizing themselves.

Pictures: Global Affairs Canada, Plan International – Ghana Visit SWIDA – Gh Community

Over the week we were privileged to have the Global Affairs Canada and Plan International Ghana team visit our community Malshegu to interact with the inhabitants on how our work with them has increased the agency and economic capacity of women.

SWIDA-GH is an implementer of the Women’s Voice & Leadership programme (WVL) which aims at tackling the roots of gender inequalities to enhance women and girls access to equal opportunities.

GACC Demands Accountability for Citizens on COVID – 19 Expenditure

Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition (GACC) has held a stakeholders’ engagement forum for citizens, heads of departments of government institutions, the Savelugu Municipal Assembly and other development partners, regarding the assembly’s 2020 and 2021 COVID – 19 expenditure.

The Forum, titled ‘Accountability Platform to discuss COVID – 19 Expenditure; monitoring findings, is part of the activities under a project meant to bring Accountability to citizens, on the ‘COVID – 19 expenditure.

The project seeks to provide platforms in MMDAs, to discuss monitoring findings, which was carried out in the last quarter of 2021 on how the COVID – 19 National Trust Fund was expended.

The monitoring was carried out by the LANet of Savelugu Municipality in collaboration with SWIDA – Gh and the GACC.

Speaking at the forum, project lead from the GACC, Mr. Abdulai Imoro said ‘’The project is about COVID – 19 Transparency and Accountability. When we had our first case of COVID – 19, a lot of funds were committed from the government and others were sourced from international agencies and within our own settings, we were able to set up the COVID – 19 National Trust Fund to help fight the spread. Now, concerns have always been, these funds that we have been able to generate and receive from these external agencies, are they judiciously using these resources to fight COVID – 19, or someone somewhere is profiting from it. Because people make money out of government funds.’’

He added that ‘’As part of the project, we try to create platforms for government to account to the people on how funds are being managed and also use that same platform for the citizens to ask questions regarding things that they do not understand. So one of the platforms is what we are doing today known as the accountability platform.’’ He added

The group (LANet) revealed how much was received and spent between 2020 and 2021 in the municipality to manage the pandemic, while also raising the funding challenges the assembly faced.

These funding challenges include uncontrolled market centres, minimal public education on the pandemic, inadequate sanitation facilities, Rapid urbanization, etc.

Participants at the forum also took turns to make their cases and sought some clarifications from the assembly and other departmental heads present.

One of them was from the persons with disabilities who asked why there was no special treatment for them during the pandemic when interventions were rolled out to support citizens. 

There was a question on why many businesses do not get financial support from the government, where the technical person at NBSSI at the Savelugu municipal assembly admitted that it is true that many businesses do not get funding from the agency, but asserted that most of them present proposals that do not meet standard.

The Accountability Bridges: providing platforms for Engaging Government on Transparent and Accountable COVID – 19 Expenditure’ project, is funded by the US Embassy and implemented by the GACC.

Pictures: SWIDA – Gh Participates in Policy Discussion to Empower Women in Agric and Other Areas

Providing policy options for government’s attention after the eight Royal panel discussions

Focus areas include:

Promoting and sustaining women in Leadership

Targeting women for agriculture technical support and gender responsive budgeting, women and Climate change and smart solutions, access and control over agriculture resources especially land and finances, economic livelihoods options for Women, reducing Sexual and Gender based violence, as well as attention on Unpaid Care Work by women.