GenCED Report Reveals Widespread Violence Against Women in Politics
The Gender Centre for Empowering Development (GenCED) has launched a groundbreaking research report exposing the scale and persistence of violence against women in Ghana’s political parties. The findings reveal that such violence is systemic, cutting across party lines and posing a major barrier to women’s political participation.
According to the study, nine out of ten women surveyed reported experiencing some form of violence within their political parties. Verbal abuse emerged as the most widespread, with many respondents citing WhatsApp platforms as the main space where such harassment takes place.
The report also found that half of the women surveyed indicated their parties lacked internal mechanisms to address violence, leaving victims with little to no recourse. In many cases, women retreat or reduce their engagement to protect themselves, a trend that further limits female representation in politics and entrenches gender inequality.
“These findings highlight not only the forms and nature of violence women face in political spaces, but also the devastating impact it has on their aspirations and Ghana’s democratic process,” said Esther Tawiah, Executive Director of GenCED.
The report outlines actionable recommendations for political parties, including:
- Establishing independent complaints committees and robust reporting systems.
- Adopting zero-tolerance policies on violence and harassment.
- Tackling online and media-related violence, with emphasis on digital literacy programs.
- Providing regular gender-sensitivity training for executives, candidates, and party members.
GenCED stressed that ending violence against women in political parties is essential for strengthening Ghana’s democracy. The organization urged all political stakeholders to act with urgency to ensure women’s full and equal participation in the country’s political life.
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