17/07/2025
RUWA-Ghana Unveils ‘ENOUGH’ Project to Break the Silence on SGBV in Upper West.
On Wednesday, July 16th, 2025, RUWA-Ghana successfully launched its bold new initiative, the ‘ENOUGH’ Project at Upland Hotel in Wa, the capital of the Upper West Region of Ghana.
The project dubbed: “ENOUGH! Empowering Girls, Boys, Women, and Men through Creativity and Social Media to Break the Silence on SGBV for Gender Transformation in the Upper West Region of Ghana” — marks a turning point in grassroots advocacy, accountability, and digital mobilization.
The launching which was done cm Stakeholders Consultative Meeting, welcomed state actors including Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU), Ghana Health Service (GHS), Legal Aid Commission, and Ghana Education Service (GES), alongside community leaders, Civil Society Organization (CSOs), He-For-She Clubs, Patrons, students, traditional and faith-based leaders, and media representatives from Daily Graphic and Ghana News Agency (GNA).
Dignitaries Who Lit Up the Stage:
Her Royal Highness, Pognaa Rosemary Bangzie Queen Mother of the Duong Traditional Area and doubled as a trained nurse, chaired the occasion.
Mr. Sebastian K. Ziem, Regional Investigator, CHRAJ, was the Guest of Honor. Mr. Masud Aziz Rauf, Executive Director of RUWA-Ghana facilitated the program.
Together, they unveiled the powerful ‘ENOUGH’ project banner, delivering heartfelt endorsements and rallying calls to action.
📌 Project Overview & Purpose:
Speaking to the purpose and scale, Mr. Masud Aziz Rauf revealed that the project will run for six months (June–December 2025) across four targeted communities: Veri, Dorimon (Wa West District), Busaa, and Wa (Wa Municipal). The Campaign is Funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and implemented under GIZ Ghana’s Support to Human Rights, Gender Equality and Civil Social-S(HE) Project. The project aims to complement local efforts to combat SGBV and discrimination — a growing concern clouded by stigma, silence, and a cultural norm known locally in the Upper West as “Tijaa Bunyen” — meaning “We are all one”.
🗣️ Powerful Testimonies Shared:
The stories shared were gut-wrenching yet necessary. Survivors and stakeholders recounted experiences of forced elopement, r**e, defilement, and abandonment, laying bare the emotional toll of SGBV and the urgency for change. From a young girl blindfolded into a tricycle for marriage to victims silenced by family abuse — these testimonies underscored the need for the project’s advocacy.
💬 Stakeholder Engagement:
Participants formed three strategic groups — traditional/faith-based leaders, community CSOs/patrons, and state actors — presenting their expectations and pledging commitments toward the success of the project.
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A Wall of Commitment:
The day closed with unity and resolution: Stakeholders signed the project’s pledge wall, captured the moment with a group photo, and offered a reflective closing prayer. The message was clear: The silence is over. Enough is truly enough.
📢 Let’s amplify this movement. Share, tag a change-maker, and break the silence together.
GIZ Ghana Plan International Plan International Ghana OXFAM in Ghana NETRIGHT-Ghana Bundesministerium für wirtschaftliche Zusammenarbeit und Entwicklung (BMZ) GIZ,German International Cooperation Parliament of Ghana Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition