Statement by Hon Salifu Mary Boforo,MP for Savelugu Constituency and Chairperson on Women Caucus of Parliament to mark the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, 25th November
Source: parliament_of_ghana
Date: 2026

STATEMENT BY HON. SALIFU MARY BOFORO — MP FOR SAVELUGU CONSTITUENCY AND CHAIRPERSON ON WOMEN CAUCUS OF PARLIAMENT TO MARK THE INTERNATIONAL DAY FOR THE ELIMINATION OF VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN (25" NOVEMBER) Madam Speaker, I wish to express my profound gratitude to you for giving me the opportunity to make this statement to commemorate the 10t Anniversary of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women which falls today, November 25, 2009. Madam Speaker, violence against women is said to be any act of gender-based violence that results in, or is likely to result in, physical, sexual or mental harm or suffering to women, including threats of such acts, arbitrary deprivation of iiberty, whether occurring in public or in private life. It includes sexual, physical, or emotional abuse by an intimate partner; physical or sexual abuse by family members or others; sexual harassment and abuse by people in authority; traffici-:ing for forced labour or sex. Violence agai;mst women also occurs in traditional practices such as forced or child marriages and dowry- . related violence. Madam Speaker, systematic sexual abuse in conflict situations is another form of violence against women. The World Health Organization’s |Wi{0] survey in some countries across the globe this year indicates that, between 15% and 71% of women reported physical ot sexual violence by a husband or partner. Equally unfortunately, trafficking of women and girls for forced labour and sex is widespread. In Ghana like many African countries Madam Speaker, the status of women has been determined by the kind of girlhood they have had. Traditional values, cultural norms as well as socializing processes, all appear to bestow a low status on the girl child and low status on women. Pagelof3 In fact, the whole of the woman’s life is governed by customary, legislative and religious laws which are often very discriminatory in marriages, divorce and inheritance (case of the widow), and support the perpetration of gender violence. Madam Speaker, the right of the husband to correct his wife is condoned in customary law and domestic violence considered as a family affair. Violence against women in most case goes unreported. Majority of these victims are afraid to lose their marital status, whilst some are very ignorant of their rights. For others, they will prefer to die under such tortures because they have no other means of subsistence. Madam Speaker, widows and battered women remain very vulnerable, miserable, marginalized and often rejected by their families or in-laws. They remain traumatized in their various difficult conditions or survive by chance. Such inhuman practices inflicted on widows in some, West African countries include: Sleeping on the bare flofits, mats or leaves, eating from the floor or on leaves, forced to drink the water used in cleaning the corpses of their late husbands to prove that they are innocent of their death. Madam Speaker, these harmful attitudes towards women are reinforced by certain religious and other community leaders, who exhort women to stand by their husbands under all cireumstanceé, while at the same time failing to take a clear stands against wife battery and marital rape. Also rape of underage girls by men within the family circle, such as brothers, fathers and stepfathers remains a big problem in the society. In the area of culture Madam Speaker, some communities still practice Trokosi, an outlawed custom which involves ritual servitude and sexual exploitation of girls. Page2o0f3 There is constant disregard of the law against Female Genital Mutilation {FGM) which is still prevalent among several ethnic groups, although the law that criminalized the act in 1994 was further strengthened in 2007 by Parliament. Some women are still branded as witches and are often violemtly driven to witches' camps. Madam Speaker, the consequences of these inhuman acts are indeed worrisome. Aside the reproductive and maternal health problems, many women die and properties are being confiscated. I call on all Ghanaians and other stakeholders to collaborate effectively with us to act accordingly, and where necessary, compel the customary system to fully respect the rights of women and girls enshrined in our Constitution and laws. In particular, government and other relevant actors must denounce publicly, all _ forms of violence against women and girls including marital rape, wife beating, child and other forced marriages, trokosi, FGM and humiliating widowhood rites. More crucially Madam Speaker, gender-sensitive media reporting must also be promoted to avoid stereotypes and discriminatory attitudes towards women, and ensure respect for victims and their families when covering incidents of violence against women. As citizens, we owe it a duty to respect the rights of the human, without regards to gender. I believe this virtue can help us secure the future of humanity and make the world a better place to live in. Thank you Madam Speaker for the opportunity. Page 3of3