Anti-Violence Programme
The Anti-Violence Program is achieved through the Crisis Response Centre Project which operated from four service sites; Crisis Response Centre (CRC) based in Haatso, a suburb of Accra, a Shelter for abused women and children, in the Eastern Region of Ghana, the Counseling Centre in Seben, Tafo a community in the Eastern Region and a Legal Centre located in New Town, Accra. The program broadly responded to violence against women, and children (VAWC) through the provision of integrated services and support to survivors of such violence. The program also undertook wide community outreach and awareness activities on issues in relation to VAWC or Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) targeting churches, schools, identified professional groups and whole communities.
The Ark provided counseling, legal aid, small assistance grants, shelter, rehabilitation and resettlement to over 3000 persons, majority being abused women and children between 1999 and 2016. The cases handled by the Anti-Violence Program of The Ark included domestic violence, sexual assault, sexual harassment, neglect, abuse and non-maintenance of children, child trafficking, child marriage and other harmful traditional practices. These were done in collaboration with the Domestic Violence and Victims’ Support Unit (DOVVSU) of the Ghana Police Service, medical, judicial and social services agencies.
Womens Law & Human Rights Institute
The WLHRI engaged in capacity building through training on the themes of women’s human rights, women’s leadership development, and social development issues. The Institute’s special focus was on Young Women’s Leadership Development for which a mobile training institute was set up for women between ages 18 – 40. About 1000 young women benefitted from this program between 2001 and 2015.
Capacity Building & Advocacy (CABA) Program
The Capacity-Building and Advocacy Program addressed training and capacity building for other institutions and agencies, community education, as well as policy and legislative advocacy strategies. It monitored state institutions, in particular, the Police, Courts, Health Institutions and the Department of Social Welfare on implementation of the Domestic Violence Act, 2007 (Act 372) and related legislation on sexual and gender based violence. Special projects were also undertaken within this programme including Ambassador Girls Scholarship Project, Rights, Empowerment, Access and Participation Project (REAP), the Nuisance Project, Women Speak Peace to Power, Girl Power Project, Young Urban Women’s Project, National Advocacy Partnership Project on achieving a Coordinated response system on violence against women and children, Gender and HIV Project, among others.