GHANA: Gender Ministry calls for safer universities to tackle harassment and gender-based violence

The Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection (MGCSP) has urged tertiary institutions to create safer, more inclusive environments to prevent harassment and gender-based violence (GBV).

“Creating a safe, inclusive and supportive tertiary institution is not the responsibility of one Ministry or organisation, but it requires collective ownership, commitment, and action from us all,” said Mrs Ernestina Oduro, Senior Programme Officer at MGCSP.

“Together we can build an environment where every student can thrive, free from fear, intimidation or harassment,” she said.

She was addressing a two-day multi-stakeholder workshop held at Aburi in the Eastern Region, aimed at addressing sexual harassment and GBV across five major public universities in Ghana.

Participants included policymakers, gender experts, university professors, student leaders, Women Commissioners, senior officers from the Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit of the Ghana Police Service, civil society organisations, and development partners.

The workshop also assessed gaps in gender policies and sought to ensure their effective implementation within the University of Ghana, University of Education–Winneba, University for Development Studies, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, and the University of Cape Coast.

The event was jointly organised by the POS Foundation, a Ghanaian civil society organisation advocating for access to justice and policy reform, and Amplify Change, a global CSO.

Mrs Oduro highlighted the serious implications of harassment and GBV, stating that such acts violate human rights and undermine the dignity, safety, and aspirations of young people, particularly women and girls.

She commended the inclusion of survivors’ voices in the dialogue, adding: “The inclusion of survivors’ voices in this dialogue is commendable, as it ensures that policies and interventions are grounded in real experiences.”

Describing the workshop as timely, she noted it offered “a unique platform for stakeholders to collectively reflect, share best practices and identify ways of bridging policy gaps.”

Dr Emmanuel Newman, Director of the Tertiary Education Division at the Ministry of Education, acknowledged the continued prevalence of sexual harassment in tertiary institutions. He called on the POS Foundation to expand its advocacy efforts to include technical and private institutions.

Dr Newman urged universities to adopt digital solutions, citing the example of KNUST’s online application that allows victims to report harassment and GBV discreetly and efficiently.

Mr Jonathan Osei Owusu, Executive Director of the POS Foundation, expressed concern about the societal belief that financial investment in relationships or marriage grants control over partners’ bodies.

“Unfortunately, this same attitude is also seen in people of power, academically, socially, or professionally, who exploit authority to demand access and control over the bodies of others, especially women and young people,” he said.

Mr. Owusu said academic institutions remained vulnerable spaces for many students, especially first-years, who may lack awareness or support systems to report abuse.

“Your body belongs to you. Consent is never a transaction, and no level of financial support, emotional manipulation or academic mentorship gives anyone the right to another person’s body,” he stressed.

He called for early education on bodily autonomy, emphasising that the message should begin at birth and be reinforced throughout life.

Nana Yopeyo Dadetsu II, Queenmother of Dodowa-Manya, appealed to civil society organisations to step up community outreach and raise awareness about harassment and GBV.

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