A fund to support victims of abuse has been launched in the Upper East regional capital Bolgatanga by the Widows and Orphans Movement (WOM) and its partners.
“Upper East Regional Support Fund for Victims of Abuse” was officially launched on May 12th, 2022 at the In-service Training Centre.
In a bid to support and mitigate the suffering of victims of abuse when accessing medical care, the Widows and Orphans Movement in collaboration with the Upper East Regional Coordinating Council (RCC), the regional office of the Commission on Human Right and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU) of the Ghana Police Service, the Social Welfare and Department of Gender decided to set up the “Upper East Regional Support Fund for Victims of Abuse”.
This follows reports from DOVVSU and CHRAJ which indicate that many people have been denied justice due to a lack of evidence during the prosecution of their cases. Some of the evidence required by the court includes a report from a Medical Officer certifying that the crime was committed as alleged.
However, most survivors are poor and needy and hence cannot afford the process of gathering evidence leaving them with no choice but to discontinue or call for a home settlement of the matter especially when the perpetrator persuades the survivor’s family.
This has happened severally in many Ghanaian communities and has become a disincentive for victims to report perpetrators to the appropriate authority for justice.
For this reason, the Upper East Regional Minister, Hon. Stephen Yakubu in a speech read on his behalf, by the District Chief Executive Officer for the Bolgatanga-East District, Hon. David Akolgo Amoah, conveyed the gratitude of the region to WOM and its partners for hatching the idea to establish a regional support fund.
While the Domestic Violence Regulation, Legislative Instrument 2237 of 2016 provides in Article 3 that; “A victim of domestic violence who has reported an abuse to the Police and is certified by a counselor or service provider to be in need; or a representative of that victim may apply to the Management Board to access the Victims of Domestic Violence Support Fund”.
However , getting access to funds and support has been a challenge due to the government’s failure to make funds available to victims over the years. This has crippled the essence of that regulation thus discouraging the survivors of abuse from seeking justice.
Upper East Region has taken the lead to set up a regional fund to support victims of violence and abuse who earn below minimum wage and are within the poverty line to access medical care.
Management of the fund is the responsibility of WOM, RCC, CHRAJ, DOVVSU, Social Welfare, and the Department of Gender. WOM and the regional heads for the Department of Gender and CHRAJ are the signatories to the account.
Though the motive for the establishment of the fund is quite clear and noble, the regional Minister has cautioned managers of the fund against actions that would undermine proper financial management procedures leading to potential donors flooding their arms to support the course.
‘’I urge the managers of the fund to use the existing provisions indicated in the Domestic Violence Act to manage the National Fund to apply to the Regional Fund to keep the faith of the citizens who will continuously contribute towards the fund.’’
In her word of assurance, the Executive Director of WOM-Ghana, Madam Fati Abigail Abdulai, disclosed that donors’ money will be properly accounted for since the NGO Desk Officer of the Regional Coordinating Council (RCC), the regional department of Social Welfare and the regional department of Legal Aid were charged to audit the account annually.
She further, indicated that an annual audit report will be done and published to assure transparency and accountability in the utilization of funds.
So to set the ball rolling for generous donations to be made into the fund, the honorable regional minister pledged to make a personal donation of a thousand Ghana cedes as his widow’s mite to support the initiative.
He then made a passionate appeal to civil society, cooperative organizations, religious groups, state agencies, and the general public to donate charitably to the fund.
‘’I want to appeal to sons and daughters of the region whether near or far to support this course of contributing to the Regional Fund to help needy survivors of the region.
Members of the public can donate through the Fidelity bank; accounts name: Upper East Regional Support Fund for Victims of Abuse with account number: 1050367791313. Or send your donation through Vodafone cash on 0506478675 with the registered name: Upper East Reginal Support Fund for Victims of Abuse.
By: Adekurah Wisdom/mywordfmonline.com