Ghana lost $ 18.9 million in 2016 because of the economic costs of violence against women

A study conducted by the Institute for Statistical, Social and Economic Research (ISSER) of the University of Ghana found that in 2016, Ghana had lost $ 18.9 million (73.5 millions of GHC) as economic costs of violence against women and girls.

The study report, "The Economic and Social Costs of Violence Against Women in Ghana," found that women survivors who used services and reported spending spent an average of $ 53 a year, which corresponds to 10% of their annual expenditure per person on non-food products. consumption.

The new study highlighting the high economic and social cost of violence against women in Ghana was launched Wednesday in Accra by Ms Malonin Asibi, director of the Domestic Violence Secretariat of the Ministry of Gender, Children and Youth. of Social Protection.

Asibi said, "VAWGs are undermining the quality of life of families and the well-being of children, with long-term consequences for our social life."

The project, funded by the UK Department for International Development (DFID) as part of its global program "How to Organize to Prevent Violence Against Women", has shown that violence against women is a considerable burden for women and their families.

In addition to Ghana, DFID also funds similar research projects in Pakistan and South Sudan (2014-2019).

In 2016, a consortium led by the National University of Ireland (NUI), Galway, with Ipsos MORI and the International Center for Research on Women (ICRW) of the University of Ghana and working in collaboration with the ISSER, adopted mixed methods. Study to estimate the economic losses caused by violence against women, as well as the non – economic costs of violence affecting economic growth, development and social stability in Ghana.

Professor Felix Asante, ISSER Director of the University of Ghana and co-principal investigator of the project, said: "This research underscores the importance of understanding the economic impacts of violence against women. For women and its serious consequences for the economy in general.

The sample of the study shows a prevalence of intimate partner violence (IPV) of 43% among women aged 18 to 60 currently in couples and living in a couple in the country (2016).

This figure is higher than that of the Ghana Demographic and Health Survey (GDHS) because it included economic, psychological, physical and badual violence and had a wider age range than that of GDHS, which only concerned women aged 15 to 49 years old.

Ms. Enyonam Azumah, Deputy Team Leader for Social Sectors of DFID, said: "The impact of the study on Ghana could be critical for understanding the impact of VAWGs. on the physical and mental health of individuals, community cohesion, economic stability and development. to provide new evidence to the government for it to accelerate its efforts to attack the VAWG. "

The main findings of the study showed that IPV and violence by family members were the most common forms of violence experienced by women in Ghana.

According to the report, four out of every 10 Ghanaian women interviewed living with the couple were domestic violence, and two women living with a family or marital had been victims of domestic violence in 2016.

She said the magnitude of the losses badociated with violence against abused women was significant.

With regard to the intergenerational impact, the report estimates that about 300,000 school days are missed by children every year in Ghana because of the violence experienced by their mothers.

He said that this missed schooling has a long-term impact on the future capacity and income of the children of abused women.

He said VAWG could worsen household poverty; stating that many women who experience GFAV incur additional costs due to violence, such as medical care.

With regard to the impact of work and productivity on women, the study indicates that in Ghana, economically, active survivors of domestic violence were absent from work or less productive for 12 days. during the period of the study.

With regard to business losses, the study found that companies suffered losses due to IPV and badual violence by their female partners outside the workplace.

"One in four employees in the surveyed businesses reported lost productivity due to IPV equal to 14 days in the past year," the study said.

Drs Nata Duvvury, NUI, Galway and Senior Scientist said, "This research shows in simple terms the heavy burden the VAWG places on the economic activity of any country."

She stated that the study showed that violence prevention was necessary and that it should be included as a priority in government policies and budgets to ensure Ghana's prosperity and economic transition to an income-producing country. intermediate.

— GNA