NCCE Sensitizes Nandom Residents on Gender-Based Violence

The Nandom Municipal Directorate of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) has engaged identifiable groups in the municipality on Gender-Based Violence (GBV), sexual exploitation, child marriage, child labor, human trafficking, and adolescent reproductive health.

The engagement sought to sensitize community members on the rising cases of gender-based violence, the dangers associated with child marriage and exploitation, and the laws that protect women and children in Ghana.

Addressing participants, the Nandom Municipal Directorate of the NCCE stressed that GBV is not a private family matter but a criminal offence punishable by law. The Directorate explained that sexual exploitation, including situations where adults or peers demand sex in exchange for favors, violates the fundamental human rights of children.

The Directorate cited relevant legal frameworks, including Article 28 of the 1992 Constitution, which protects children from exploitative labor and early marriage; the Domestic Violence Act, 2007 (Act 732), which criminalizes physical, sexual and emotional abuse; the Child and Family Welfare Policy; and the Cybersecurity Act, 2020 (Act 1038), particularly Sections 59–68, which address child online exploitation, sextortion and the non-consensual sharing of intimate images.

The Directorate emphasized that child marriage involving anyone below 18 years is illegal in Ghana and warned that it can deprive children of their education, increase the risk of teenage pregnancy and expose girls to serious health complications.

Parents and community members were therefore urged to protect children and report suspected cases of abuse, exploitation and child marriage to the appropriate authorities.

Participants were encouraged to report such cases to the Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU), the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), the Department of Social Welfare or the NCCE, or seek emergency assistance through the national emergency number, 112.