The Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection, Dr Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, has revealed the challenges faced in addressing gender-based violence, particularly the influence of family members, traditional leaders, and religious leaders.

Speaking on TV3’s Hot Issues on Sunday, December 7, 2025, she said, “There have been a number of cases where pressures and interferences from these groups of persons prevent victims from cooperating with authorities to bring finality to gender-based violence acts.”

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She explained that family, religious, and traditional leaders often persuade victims to drop cases and settle matters privately at home.

Dr Lartey noted that limited resources also pose a significant barrier to effectively managing such cases.

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“Aside resources, the victim’s ability to follow the process through because sometimes, in the heat of the moment, they will report and then we start the case. Once case management commences, then family heads, traditional leaders, religious leaders and other opinion leaders get involved, and then you have to truncate,” she noted.

The Minister urged for stronger collaboration among stakeholders to ensure victims can pursue justice and for abuse cases to be effectively addressed nationwide.

JKB/EB

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