The Volta Regional Queens Council on Thursday declared ‘war’ on sexual violence against young people in the Region.
The Council noted that the upsurge in sexual violence with its associated problems was affecting the socio-economic development of the Region and vowed to fish out culprits for prosecution.
Mamaga Agbalisi IV, President of the Council and Paramount Queenmother of Akpini Traditional Area, made the declaration at the Council’s first general meeting for 2016 in Ho.
About 33 per cent of children in Ghana are said to have suffered various forms of sexual abuse.
The abuse includes rape, molestation, touching of private parts, watching pornography, the use of inappropriate language, and dirty jokes.
The victims comprise both boys and girls of various age groups.
Mamaga Agbalisi asked the queens to visit churches and schools to educate children on their sexual rights and form appropriate taskforces to arrest culprits for prosecution.
“Let the children know that they have power over their bodies and private parts”, she said.
Ms Rita Lodonu, Project Coordinator at Hope For Future Generations (HFFG), a non-governmental organisation, used the occasion to educate the queen mothers on malaria prevention.
She asked them to help promote cleanliness in their communities and sleep under Long Lasting Insecticide Treated Nets.
She urged them to educate their subjects to insist on testing to confirm whether they had malaria parasites before they are given malaria treatment.
The queens were also sensitised on child labour and child trafficking.
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