By Eunice Hilda Ampomah/Victoria Asante, GNA
Accra, June 19, GNA – The Ghana Australia Alumni Association (G3A) on Wednesday donated logistics to the Greater Accra Regional Division of the Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU) of the Ghana Police Service (GPS).
The items, at the cost of GH¢137,000.00, which were funded under the Australian High Commission’s Direct Aid Programme, included computers, air-conditions, and furniture such as desks, cabinets, swivel and guest chairs.
As part of the support, the High Commission and G3A also refurbished the male and female toilets, waiting room, staff offices and children’s room of the Unit.
The two bodies also organsied a day’s training workshop to build the capacity of DOVVSU Coordinators in the execution of their duties to protect individuals, especially women and girls from domestic violence.
The Coordinators, including prosecutors, were trained on trauma management, effective handling of gender-based violence survivors and effective investigations and prosecution of gender-based violence cases.
Mr Andrew Barnes, the Australian High Commissioner to Ghana, addressing attendees at the opening ceremony of the workshop, said the project was among 21 projects the High Commission was funding under the 2018/19 Direct Aid Programme.
He said it was also one of nine gender-focused projects to be funded under the programme this year.
To commemorate World Day of Social Justice on February 20, this year, the High Commission supported the Ghana Centre for Democratic Development and Ark Foundation’s roundtable discussion towards promoting full implementation and compliance of Domestic Violence Acts 732, he said.
“I would like to commend the Government of Ghana for passing into law the Domestic Violence Act (Act 732) to institute criminal sanctions for perpetrators and civil remedies for domestic victims as well as significantly improve Ghana’s compliance with its international human rights obligations,” the High Commissioner said.
However, Mr Barnes said, there was a lot to be done to eliminate gender-based violence and called for a multi-dimensional approach by all stakeholders such as strengthening the capacity of DOVVSU to discharge its mandate effectively, providing logistical support and making the unit’s facilities more friendly to the public, especially women and children.
Mr Ohene Damptey, the President of the G3A, expressed gratitude to the High Commission for responding to their petition to support domestic violence victims and appealed to the Unit to make good use of the donated items and properly maintain them.
He entreated them to take the capacity building workshop seriously as it would equip their skills and knowledge in the course of delivering their mandate to achieve the vision of the Unit.
Assistant Commissioner of Police George Tweneboah, the Deputy Director General of the Criminal Investigation Department of the GPS, advised the Coordinators and all personnel of the Unit to show positive attitudes while working to instil confident and courage in the citizenry to report to them whenever their rights were being violated.
“As we speak and deliver our functions, we should be unemotional, professional using the law and most importantly our attitudes should speak well of us,” he added.
Superintendent of Police Alice Awarikaro, the Regional Coordinator of DOVVSU, was grateful for the kind gesture.
She said although government had a responsibility to provide logistical support to the Unit, it couldn’t undertake the obligation alone.
She, therefore, appealed to other abled individuals and organisations to support the Unit with both human and logistical resources to enable them to work diligently to protect the citizenry.
GNA
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