According to the latest findings from an Afrobarometer survey, a significant majority of Ghanaians are urgently calling for the police and courts to step up and protect women and girls from discrimination and harassment.
The data underscores the pressing need for more robust institutional safeguards and highlights the ongoing challenges women and girls face in the country.
The survey, conducted in August 2024, reveals a stark reality: one-quarter of Ghanaians feel law enforcement agencies are currently doing enough to protect women and girls.
It also shines a light on the widespread issues of discrimination and harassment. About 20% of respondents reported that schoolgirls are frequently subjected to discrimination or sexual harassment by teachers. Additionally, 16% of participants said that women often face sexual harassment in public spaces such as markets, streets, and public transport.
The survey also brought attention to the obstacles women face in the workplace, with 13% of respondents indicating that women are sometimes prevented from taking on paid employment by their families or spouses. Furthermore, 12% of respondents noted that girls are sometimes denied an education because their families prioritize boys’ schooling.
Despite these challenges, most Ghanaians expressed confidence that women and girls would be believed if they reported discrimination or harassment. Specifically, 61% of respondents feel that complaints about such issues in schools, workplaces, or public spaces would be taken seriously.
However, the survey findings indicate a strong call for more action from the authorities. Only 26% of respondents believe that the police and courts are currently doing enough to protect women and girls, while a staggering 71% think these institutions need to do more. Notably, 41% of respondents call for ‘much more effort, underlining the situation’s urgency.
In terms of government performance, two-thirds of Ghanaians believe the government is doing a reasonable job of protecting women’s rights. Of those, 47% rated the government’s performance as “fairly well,” while 21% said it was “very well.” However, 29% of respondents disagreed, indicating that there is still significant room for improvement in government action to safeguard women’s rights.
These findings come at a pivotal moment as Ghana observes the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-based Violence, an international campaign aimed at raising awareness and driving efforts to end violence against women and girls. The timing of the survey release during this campaign underscores the urgency and importance of the issues highlighted in the survey.
The survey serves as a timely reminder of the continued need for stronger protections and reforms to ensure a safer and more equitable society for women and girls in Ghana.
The Afrobarometer survey, conducted by the Ghana Center for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana), was based on a nationally representative sample of 2,400 adult Ghanaians. The margin of error for the results is +/-2 percentage points at a 95% confidence level.
