An Accra High Court has ordered government to allocate money to the domestic violence support fund to provide free medical care for victims of domestic violence.
Justice Anthony Yeboah granted the reliefs sought by a private legal practitioner Martin Kpebu after the Attorney-General’s Department failed to enter an appearance.
During proceedings, Martin Kpedu revealed that the Fund, a statutory creation has not received a dime from government, at least, 10 years after it was created by the Domestic Violence Act passed in 2007.
The Act states in Section 29: Establishment of Fund “There is established by this Act a Victims of Domestic Violence Support Fund.”
Stating the objectives of the Fund, the Act further explains that the Fund shall be applied;
(a) towards the basic material support of victims of domestic violence,
(b)for training the families of victims of domestic violence,
(c) for any matter connected with the rescue, rehabilitation and reintegration of victims of domestic violence,
(d) towards the construction of reception shelters for victims of domestic violence in regions and districts, and
(e) for training and capacity building of persons connected with the provision of shelter, rehabilitation and reintegration.
Sources of money for the Fund
31. The moneys for the Fund include
(a) voluntary contributions to the Fund from individuals, organizations and the private sector;
(b) moneys approved by Parliament for payment into the Fund, and
(c) moneys from any other source approved by the Minister responsible for finance.
Ghana recorded 84,142 cases of sexual and gender-based violence nationwide from 2009 to 2013.
Statistics from the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU) of the Ghana Police Service indicated that 15,426 cases of sexual and gender-based violence with 14,415 assault cases on women were recorded in 2014.
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