Many men are victims of Gender-Based Violence (GBV) but, in most cases, it turns out that the majority of them experiencing it from their intimate partners, tend to shy away from reporting their experiences, says the Commission for Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ).

Realising that men were often overlooked, and their cases trivialised, he urged men to speak out and be allies in the fight against GBV.

According to the Ashanti Sub-Regional Director of the CHRAJ, Samuel Asante-Yeboah, men and boys could also be victims of GBV, which could include physical, sexual, psychological, and emotional abuse.

He was speaking at the climax of a 16-day activism against GBV organised by the AngloGold Ashanti, Obuasi Mine.

It was held together with partners including Underground Mining Alliance (UMA), Veolia Ghana, Epiroc Ghana, The Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU).

It drew participants from the clergy, traditional leaders, political leaders, women groups, interest groups and employees of AngloGold Ashanti.

Commemorated from November 25 to December 10 annually, the global campaign serves as a crucial reminder of the persistent struggle against GBV and the need for concerted efforts to protect and support victims.

In his remarks, the Community Relations Manager of the mining company, Edmund Oduro Agyei, also observed that “when we think about GBV, we may automatically think women were primary victims, but men too can be affected, and their experiences deserve acknowledgement and understanding”.

He said it was “crucial that we take holistic approach to the discussions, that violence in all its forms, is a human rights violation that transcends gender boundaries and urged men to voice out their experiences”.

“By doing so, they equip themselves to encourage empathy and create a more inclusive discussion that promotes healing and support for individuals impacted by violence”, he noted.

According to the Community Relations Manager, to win the fight against GBV, there was the need to adopt a holistic approach that recognised that violence of all forms, “is a human rights violation that transcends gender boundaries”.

To demonstrate their strong commitment to eliminating GBV of all forms, he said AngloGold Ashanti has implemented robust policies and procedures to prevent harassment and violence in the workplace.

Referencing a recent research, he noted that poor socio-economic circumstances could be a contributory factor in GBV, and therefore at “AngloGlod Ashanti, our community investment programmes support the empowerment of women and girls”.

He said the programmes promoted equal access to education, mentorship programmes, skills development and entrepreneurship programmes that educate and guide women to be self-sustaining.

Mr. Joseph Bernasko, Head of Operations, Veolia Ghana, said they had invested time, energy and resources towards prevention which included funding for education programmes, support services for survivors, training for law enforcement and healthcare providers and research to better understand and address the root cause of GBV.

From Kingsley E. Hope, Obuasi