After twelve years of the Domestic Violence Act 2007 of the criminal Code of 1960 (Act 29) became a law, glances through the print media are still reports on daily bases on domestic Violence (DV).
Aside the reported cases that are in the lame light, there are several other cases happening behind the scenes.
Perhaps, people are still ignorant about the law and those who are aware of the law know that when one is engaged in DV, the fellow is committing an offence and whether or not such a person can be punished or not.
This was disclosed during a day’s media engagement workshop on Domestic Violence Act 2997 in Bolgatanga.
The workshop which was organized by Action Aid Ghana in collaboration with the Widows and Orphans Movement (WOM), brought together about 15 Journalist and a representative of DVVSU.
The workshop was aimed at partnering with the media on awareness campaign and education on the DV Act and to help victims speak up and report perpetuators for the appropriate sanctions to be taken in order to end the menace in our societies.
Speaking to Radio Ghana, the Upper East Regional Director of the Commission on human Rights and Administrative Justice CHRAJ Abdul Jalale-Deen who took the Journalist through the intricacies of the Domestic Violence Act lamented that, twelve years on Domestic Violence should have been a thing of the past but unfortunately its rather on the ascendancy.
He indicated that, DV in itself calls for Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) since they occur mostly in the family setting and members of the family and the community would often wish to settle these issues amicably.
Chiefs therefore as custodians of the land can play a role to some extent as far as the court act provides for reconciliation even in criminal matters.
Regarding the source of funding to DV act, Mr. Jalale-Deen express regret individual and cooperate organization cannot mobilized enough to fund DV activities as it entails by law but suggested that if a specific amount could be earmarked by the ministry of finance and approve by parliament to be paid yearly, there will surely be enough money to fund the activities of Domestic Violence activities.
Story filed by Emmanuel Akayeti
