The Affirmative Action Law Coalition (AALC) has raised alarm over the growing wave of violence against women and girls in Ghana, urging swift national action as the country joins the global commemoration of the 2025 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence.
This year’s campaign is being observed under the theme: “UNiTE to End Digital Violence against All Women and Girls.”
In a statement, the Coalition described the rise in both online and physical attacks on women as a deepening national crisis that demands urgent collective attention.
According to the AALC, recent months have seen a surge in incidents of online harassment, sexualised abuse, digital threats and public humiliation targeted at women and girls across the country.
The group noted that while digital platforms have made it easier to expose such acts, they have also revealed hidden layers of abuse that were previously unseen.
Viral videos of women being assaulted in public, recordings of intimate partner violence, and widely shared scenes of humiliation, they said, are only “what digital technology allows us to see.”
“For every case captured on camera, countless others occur behind closed doors in homes, workplaces, schools and communities. What we see online is only the surface of a far deeper national problem.” The statement read.
The statement was signed by the Convenor, Sheila Minkah Premo, Esq., on behalf of the Affirmative Action Law Coalition, expressed concern that digital spaces, which are meant to expand participation in national discourse, are increasingly being weaponised to silence women.
Female politicians, journalists, activists, students, professionals and even everyday social media users, it said, are frequently subjected to insults, coordinated harassment, threats, doctored images, blackmail and non-consensual sharing of private images.
“These attacks are not harmless—they destroy reputations, affect mental health, and discourage women from speaking publicly or assuming leadership roles,
“Digital violence is therefore a human rights issue and a threat to inclusive democracy,” the AALC warned.
Affirmative Action Act Provides New Legal Shield
The Coalition emphasised that the Affirmative Action (Gender Equity) Act, 2024 (Act 1121), now provides stronger legal protection for women facing digital harassment.
Section 28(1) of the law criminalises acts that aim to intimidate, silence or obstruct women from participating in public life, including gender-based hate speech and discriminatory behaviour—whether online or offline.
Perpetrators can face prosecution, fines or imprisonment.
A National Call to Protect Women During the 16 Days
The AALC stressed that violence remains one of the major reasons women shy away from politics and leadership.
It cautioned that Ghana cannot meaningfully increase women’s participation in Parliament, district assemblies, boardrooms and media leadership without guaranteeing their safety in both physical and digital spaces.
During the 16 Days campaign, the Coalition is urging policymakers, civil society groups, digital platform operators, the media, and the wider public to intensify awareness of the protections provided under Act 1121.
It is also calling for the full enforcement of Section 28(1) to ensure that perpetrators of gender-based violence are held accountable.
The Coalition stresses the importance of recognising digital violence as a serious threat to women’s leadership and participation in public life.
Additionally, it is encouraging all stakeholders to actively protect and support women leaders, activists, and professionals who face online attacks.
Reaffirming its commitment to advancing gender equality, the AALC called for full implementation of Act 1121 to create safer spaces for women everywhere.
“When women feel safe online and offline, they participate more fully in national development,” the Coalition stated. “Protecting women strengthens Ghana’s democracy,” they said.
