Gender
Digital violence: Victim awaits justice as campaign launches
When Adjoa’s (not her real name) phone was hacked on November 16, 2025, the perpetrator demanded money in exchange for her private videos. The 20-year-old student had none to give, and within hours, the intimate content was circulating online.
Dr Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, launched the 2025 edition of the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence at Kaneshie Market on November 25. The campaign, themed “Unite! End Digital Violence Against Women and Girls,” focused on addressing online harassment, sextortion, and image-based sexual abuse, which are increasingly significant forms of violence against women and girls in Ghana.
At the event, Dr Lartey cited national statistics, noting that the 2016 Domestic Violence Survey found 27.7% of Ghanaian women had suffered at least one form of domestic violence, while 32% of girls aged 15 to 24 still believed that wife-beating was justified. She described digital violence as a serious human rights violation that often goes unreported due to cultural norms placing women and girls at greater risk.
“The ministry is working to operationalise its shelters in Accra, as well as construct the 16 regional shelters promised by His Excellency within three years. The National Domestic Violence Policy has been approved by Cabinet, and a new Domestic Abuse Law is being drafted by the Attorney General’s Department,” Dr Lartey explained.
For Adjoa, the threats are already real. Her ordeal began innocuously on Snapchat when she shared her contact believing she was communicating with another young woman. It was later revealed that she was speaking to a man with malicious intent.
“The first thing he said was, ‘Your leaks or we talk business,’” Adjoa recalled. The man sent a link compromising her Snapchat account and demanded money. When she could only provide GH¢16.65, he escalated his demands, insisting on access to all her social media accounts. She refused, and he threatened, “I have uploaded it again. You can check it on Leaktube and Telegram.”
Within days, her videos circulated online with captions claiming she performed sexual acts for money—a claim she denies. Adjoa promptly reported the case to the Cybersecurity Division, providing links, screenshots, and the perpetrator’s number. Twelve days later, she received only a single update confirming the videos had been reported for takedown, and the content remains accessible.
Under Ghana’s Cyber Security Act 2020 (Act 1038) and the Criminal Offences Act, hacking, illegal access to computer systems, extortion, and non-consensual sharing of intimate images are criminalized. Adjoa’s case illustrates the slow pace of enforcement and the urgent need for swift action.
The psychological impact has been severe. “I can’t eat. I don’t want to talk to anyone. I can’t even bring myself to bathe,” Adjoa shared. She experiences suicidal thoughts and constant anxiety about who has seen her videos. Only the support of a few friends has helped her maintain some stability.
Adjoa advises young women to be cautious online: “Your privacy online is never guaranteed. Be careful who you trust. Not everyone who smiles at you on social media has good intentions.” She also encourages victims to report incidents immediately, emphasizing that documentation provides protection, support, and a chance for justice.
For government officials, Adjoa urges: “We need action, not just words. Young girls are vulnerable to online abuse, and stronger protections and faster responses are essential.” She stresses the need for systemic reform, faster removal of harmful content, stricter consequences for perpetrators, and better support systems including counselling and legal guidance.
The campaign brought together development partners, civil society organizations, transport sector leaders, and members of the public to intensify advocacy, strengthen community action, and promote protection for women and girls. While the 16 Days campaign aims to protect women and girls, for Adjoa, its impact is yet to be felt. For now, she waits.
Eyram M.A. Yorgbe is a postgraduate student at the University of Media, Arts and Communication, Ghana, and NLA University College, Norway.
By Eyram M.A. Yorgbe
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For many young women who gathered at last week’s military recruitment exercise, the day was supposed to mark the beginning of a long-awaited dream built on discipline, sacrifice, and the quiet determination to prove that women too can serve, protect, and rise through the ranks of the Ghana Armed Forces. But that dream was shattered when tragedy struck.
Among the crowd were young women who had travelled from distant towns, some clutching envelopes of documents, others holding on to borrowed hope and borrowed money. Many had always believed that the Ghana Armed Forces was one of the few institutions that did not discriminate against their gender. They joined thousands of hopefuls, standing shoulder-to-shoulder under the burning sun, anticipation tightening their chests.
Yet, for six of these young women, the day ended in the unthinkable. They lost their lives in the stampede at El-Wak Sports Stadium, a devastating blow to families, friends, and the nation. Their deaths have left a permanent scar on the dreams they carried and on the community that watched helplessly as hope collided with chaos.
Women caught in the chaos later recounted how panic surged through the crowd. Some were pushed off balance, others struggled to breathe, and a few held on desperately to friends so they would not be swallowed by the moving wave of bodies. Their voices trembled not only from shock but from the fear they had long carried within—the fear of being unseen, unheard, and unprotected.
Unlike their male counterparts, who often approach recruitment with the boldness society readily grants them, many women arrive at such exercises already battling stereotypes. They must first win the silent argument that they belong there. The tragedy, therefore, did not only claim lives and injuries; it magnified the fears women carry even before they step through the recruitment gates.
For some, the military represented their only escape from unemployment and the frustrations of being a young woman seeking stable work in Ghana. That is why they endured the heat, the long queues, and the packed grounds because the uniform symbolized fairness, dignity, and a chance to rewrite their stories.
As families mourn and survivors nurse their wounds, one truth stands out: women’s aspirations must be protected with the same seriousness afforded their male peers. Their courage to defy gender norms should be met with proper safety measures, clear organisation, and a recruitment environment that does not put them at unnecessary risk.
The tragedy has reminded the nation that behind every applicant is a story of sacrifice, hope, family expectations, and for many women, the desire to claim space in fields traditionally reserved for men. These human stories should guide future reforms, and for that reason, gender-sensitive policies must no longer be an afterthought.
It is against this backdrop that the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) on Monday announced the resumption of its 2025/2026 recruitment exercise in the Greater Accra Region, following the temporary suspension after the stampede on Wednesday, November 12, at the El-Wak Sports Stadium.
In a statement cited by The Spectator and signed by the Acting Director General of Public Relations, Captain (Ghana Navy) Veronica Adzo Arhin, GAF explained that the reinstated process will now take place across eight sub-centres. These include the El-Wak Stadium and Nicholson Park at Burma Camp, which will each have two centres. The Air Force Base at Burma Camp and the Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) at Teshie will also each host two centres, while the Eastern Naval Command in Tema will have one.
To ensure smooth screening and reduce congestion, applicants will report in batches of 600, with each individual receiving an SMS specifying their reporting date, batch number, and designated centre.
Even with the revised measures, one concern remains: women’s safety in crowded public spaces must be intentionally prioritised, not assumed under the banner of military discipline. Clearer communication, structured queuing systems, better crowd control, constant medical presence, and trained crisis responders are not luxuries—they are necessities.
Beyond logistics, there must also be recognition that women’s experiences of fear, vulnerability, and danger differ from men—not because they are weaker, but because society has conditioned the environment to be harsher toward them. For every female applicant to any of the security services, there is a story of resistance against stereotypes, limited opportunities, whispered doubts, and unspoken fears.
These stories must shape the reforms that follow, ensuring that young women can pursue the uniform not with fear, but with confidence and dignity. And as the nation continues to mourn the six young women whose lives were lost, the hope remains that lessons learned from this tragedy will safeguard the dreams of those who step forward next, so their courage is met with the order, protection, and respect it deserves.
By Esinam Jemima Kuatsinu
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The Ministry of Health, in collaboration with the Ghana Health Service, GIZ, and AYA Integrated Healthcare Initiative, has launched the 1st National Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) Research Conference in Ghana, on the theme: Advancing Ghana’s NCDs Research Agenda Towards Attaining Primary Healthcare Goals.
The conference aimed to deliberate on the development of a National NCD Research Agenda for Ghana and to produce evidence briefs to inform policy decisions on NCDs, promote multidisciplinary collaborative research, and guide interventions to strengthen the healthcare system for the prevention and control of NCDs in Ghana.
Dr. Hafez Adam Taher, representing the Minister for Health, Hon. Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, highlighted their shared commitment to strengthening research, improving data quality, and integrating evidence into health policy and primary healthcare practice.
He underscore the conference as an important platform to convert research findings into actionable policy, build a strong network between Ghanaians and International NCD researchers, enhance national policy for data collection and knowledge generation, develop a National NCD Research Agenda that aligns with the sector’s strategic priorities including the Ghana Medical Trust Fund (MahamaCares), free Primary Health Care and the Universal Health Coverage roadmap.
Mr.Akandoh commended the partners, especially GIZ, for their continuous support and acknowledged the dedication of local research institutions in generating the evidence needed to develop contextually appropriate solutions.
He urged them to deepen their collaboration with the Ministry of Health and the Ghana Health Service to ensure that research transcends academic outcomes and becomes the backbone of policymaking.
Dr. Kwame Amponsah Achiano in his delivery on behalf of the Director-General, GHS, Dr. Samuel Kaba Akoriyea, said research can improve NCD care in the country through early detection and clinical health, strengthen health systems and policy and support monitoring, evaluation and accountability.
He concluded that the fight against NCD would be won through knowledge, research that informs practice, transforming systems and saving lives.
