Dozens of women have marched in the capital of Ghana to protest impunity surrounding attacks on women and girls in the West African country. The activists added their voices to the global conversation on justice for victims of sexual abuse, and holding abusers accountable.
Protesters marching through Accra – a sign that Ghana’s #MeToo movement is gaining strength here. Victims of domestic and sexual violence are publicly naming abusers, while authorities are being criticized for not making the safety of Ghana’s women and girls a priority.
This is a sentiment shared by Ghanaian radio broadcaster, activist and feminist, Felicity Nana Nelson. She uses her work on the radio, as well as her large social media following, to hold perpetrators to account and advocate for the rights of women. She is one of a few strong female voices on breakfast radio in Ghana.
“I’m putting gender on the agenda. That is the whole point. When an issue comes up it’s like okay, what is the women’s side of this, how are women being affected by this issue? So I try to bring that to the fore,” Nelson said.
The protest ended with a candle-lit vigil for all victims of sexual and domestic violence, and to show solidarity with the worldwide MeToo movement.