Twelve teachers from 10 schools in the Greater Accra Region have been trained as gender advocates, equipped with the knowledge and skills needed to combat Gender-Based Violence (GBV) within their schools.

This training is part of the “Young Voices Matter: Empowering Boys and Girls in the Fight Against GBV” project, led by Regina Asamoah, an International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) Impact Awardee.

The project is funded by the U.S. Department of State's Educational and Cultural Affairs, with Meridian International Center serving as the implementing partner.

The comprehensive training, held at the IPMC Service Center in Adabraka, covered essential aspects of GBV, including understanding its dynamics, recognising psychological impacts, leveraging technology for intervention, and employing age-appropriate communication strategies.

U.S. Embassy Ghana GBV Champion and Fellow of Missing Children Ghana, ACP (Rtd.) Dr. Patience Quaye led the session on understanding GBV.

She emphasised that GBV is a crime and highlighted the importance of educating learners, supporting survivors, and ensuring that perpetrators face justice. Dr. Quaye provided participants with insights into the definition, statistics, and common signs and symptoms of GBV, particularly in students.

She also addressed the potential for teachers to be perpetrators and discussed the importance of school policies and procedures for reporting and addressing incidents.

Dr. Dzifa Abrah Attah, a Clinical Psychologist and Senior Lecturer at the University of Ghana Medical School, and also a Fellow of Missing Children Ghana, facilitated the session on the psychological impacts of GBV.

She guided the teachers in identifying psychological traits in learners that may indicate they are experiencing GBV and taught them how to provide emotional and psychological support. Dr. Attah encouraged teachers to familiarise themselves with their school’s mental health resources, consider referrals, follow up on them, and provide academic accommodations during students’ recovery.

She also led participants in planning a student-led GBV awareness campaign, empowering students to prevent, protect, and seek support in cases of GBV.

Head of the Biomedical Engineering Department at the University of Ghana, Prof. Samuel Kojo Kwofie educated teachers on the use of technology to address GBV. He emphasised the role of technology in preventing GBV, creating safe spaces, and supporting survivors. Participants explored existing technologies, including panic buttons, voice apps, medical apps, web-based applications, and various AI-assisted tools designed to combat GBV.

Prof. Kwofie also discussed Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence (TFGBV), which includes cyberstalking, cyberbullying, doxxing, cyber mob attacks, image-based abuse, online impersonation, sextortion, online harassment, revenge porn, and shallowfakes.

“Many of our students may be experiencing TFGBV, and we need to be vigilant, especially given that almost every student has a phone and spends a significant amount of time online,” he said.

Prof. Kwofie advocated for the development of locally relevant apps tailored to address the specific manifestations of GBV in schools.

The IVLP Impact Awardee and Founder of Missing Children Ghana, Regina Asamoah conducted a session on effective communication strategies for addressing GBV in schools. She introduced the Role-Playing Teaching Technique as an effective tool for age-appropriate and inclusive communication, where learners are encouraged to “act out” their experiences of GBV.

This method provides an alternative for younger learners who may find it difficult to verbalise their abuse. Ms. Asamoah urged teachers to teach their students how to communicate their experiences effectively.

Ms. Asamoah, also a gender advocate, expressed her hope that the trained teachers will become gender advocates in their respective schools, applying the knowledge and skills gained during the workshop. She believes this will significantly contribute to the sustainability of the project.

“The next steps in the “Young Voices Matter” project include GBV sensitisation programs in schools and the development of educational documentaries on GBV, drawing from the various engagements with teachers and students.”’

Regina Asamoah also expressed her heartfelt appreciation to the United States Department of State, Meridian International Center, U.S. Embassy Ghana, Missing Children Ghana, and its partners for their collaborative support, which was instrumental in ensuring the successful implementation of the first activity under the “Young Voices Matter” project.

Participants expressed their gratitude for the valuable insights and knowledge gained during the workshop, stating that they are now well-prepared to take on their new roles as gender advocates.

Headteacher of Darul Hijra Islamic Basic School, Mulikatu Mohammed noted, “The action plans we developed are a critical step in ensuring that we go back to our school and implement what we have learned.”

Raphael Kweku Segbefia, a teacher at St. Augustine R/C Junior High School, stated, “This program has enlightened me on the scope of this issue and has given me the platform to learn how to use technology to address it. I am a proud advocate, and I am going to work for the success of this project.”

The training concluded with participants developing action plans for their schools and receiving certificates of participation.