In Ghana, a coalition of children’s rights groups is planning a demonstration in the capital, Accra, this Friday. The participants want to pressure the government to improve support services for survivors of sexual abuse. The demonstration is being sponsored by the Ghana Non-Governmental Organization Coalition on the Rights of the Child. It comes as preparations are underway for a well-publicized trial of a 62-year-old grandfather who is alleged to have sexually abused his seven-year-old granddaughter.
Angela Dwamena-Aboagye is the executive director of the Ark Foundation, which assists survivors of abuse. She told English to Africa’s Ruby Ofori about the circumstances surrounding the case. “There’s this little girl whose grandfather has defiled her or had sex with her three times. That’s what we know. And has led to her having been ruptured. She suffered a number of injuries. She’s also tested HIV-positive. We are not sure where the origins of that is because we also know that her mother is dead. So we are not sure whether it’s resulting from the abuse or not.” Ms. Dwamena-Aboagye said reports of abuse of children are increasing in Ghana.