The Greater Accra Regional Coordinating Council (GARCC), in collaboration with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), has taken a decisive step towards addressing harmful cultural practices affecting women and girls in the Ga community.
A recent engagement brought together Ga chiefs, queen mothers, and priests to discuss and strategize on eliminating practices such as child marriage, widowhood rites, inheritance issues, breast ironing, witchcraft accusations, and an alarming rise in female genital mutilation (FGM) linked to migrant populations.
The forum sought to empower traditional authorities with knowledge of their critical role in safeguarding human rights while respecting cultural heritage.
Madam Lilian Baeka, GARCC’s Chief Director, emphasized that these practices stifle social and economic progress, urging leaders to champion cultural norms that empower rather than oppress women.
Eastern Regional Gender Director, Madam Juliana Abbeyquaye, highlighted the importance of aligning cultural practices with international human rights frameworks like the Maputo Protocol. She challenged the persistence of regressive traditions that sustain male dominance and undermine women’s consent and participation in cultural decision-making.
Madam Matilda Banfro, Greater Accra’s Regional Director of Gender, pointed out that harmful customs are often deeply rooted in religion and social norms, making them difficult to eradicate.
She noted with concern the growing incidence of FGM within the region, attributing much of it to migrant communities rather than indigenous Ga people.
Nungua Katamanso Mantse, Tatse Nii Laryea Akwetei X, echoed calls for renewed moral leadership at the grassroots level. He urged his fellow traditional leaders to innovate and draw inspiration from positive cultural reforms seen elsewhere to foster sustainable change.
This engagement marks a pivotal moment in Greater Accra’s efforts to reconcile cultural traditions with the urgent need to protect women’s rights, demonstrating a growing commitment among Ga authorities to confront and eradicate harmful gender-based practices in their communities.
