The International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) Ghana has called on the government to increase budgetary allocation to the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection with a specific focus on the Domestic Violence Fund to improve support for survivors of gender-based violence.

The appeal was made by the Executive Director of FIDA Ghana, Susana Aryitey, during a media engagement following a seminar organized under a project supported by the African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF) to monitor budget allocations for gender-related services.

According to Mrs. Aryitey, the current level of funding is insufficient to provide the essential services required by survivors of domestic and gender-based violence. 

She said these services include medical care, legal assistance, psychosocial counselling and material support, all of which are critical to helping survivors rebuild their lives.

“Survivors need essential services, and if we do not have adequate funding to provide these services, it means they are being left out of the support system they desperately need,” she said.

Mrs. Aryitey noted that the inadequate funding does not only affect survivors’ access to care but also undermines public confidence in the justice system. 

She warned that when victims are unable to access the support they need, some may lose faith in legal processes and resort to taking matters into their own hands.

She further stressed that gender-based violence carries significant social and economic consequences beyond its immediate impact on victims.

According to her, the long-term effects on mental health and the loss of productive human resources impose a heavy burden on the country’s development.

“We are not only losing money; we are also losing the health and productivity of our citizens. If these critical gaps are not addressed, the situation could become a powder keg,” Ms. Aryitey cautioned.

FIDA Ghana is therefore urging the government and Parliament to prioritize increased funding for the Domestic Violence Fund in the national budget to ensure survivors receive timely, comprehensive and quality support services.

The organization says sustained investment in survivor support is essential to strengthening Ghana’s response to gender-based violence and ensuring access to justice for victims.