Interventions Addressing Sexual Violence Against Children In Ghana Promising Practices And Challenges

The Government of Ghana has ratified several human rights treaties and conventions related to addressing sexual violence against children (SVAC). These promising but grey commitments have been translated into national legislations and institutions with specific practical programmes and projects by government and partners to address SVAC. Acknowledging the rising incidents of sexual violence against children in Ghana, This study explores how government and non-governmental institutions are preventing, protecting and promoting the rights of children against sexual violence and how children as right holders participate in such interventions. The data collected indicate that, intervention are mainly superficial and reactive and do not correspond with the rising incidence of SVAC. This leads to further victimization of children and the violation of the rights of children through what Galtung refers to as direct, cultural and structural violence (1969 and 1990). The paper concludes with recommendation for interventions to focus on addressing the direct, cultural and structural violence to promote the holistic development and protection of children’s rights that is free from sexual violence