Ghana news: ISSER report reveals huge economic and social costs of violence against women

Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research (ISSER) of the University of Ghana has conducted a research that claims the economic and social costs of violence against girls and women in the nation amounts to around GH¢85 million annually.

According to the preliminary results of the research, partner violence accounted for GH¢58.5 million in terms of economic and social costs, with losses resulting from family members, workplace and public violence, making GH¢13.5 million, GH¢11.5 million, and GH¢1.8 million respectively, Graphic Online reported.

Felix Ankomah Asante, ISSER's director presented the outcomes of the research in Ghana's capital city Accra on Human Rights Day, December 10. According to him, "the amount translated to the loss of the number of days and hours suffered by working women, who were rendered unproductive because of one form of violence or the other committed against them."

The study was commenced in 2016 and its final report will be released in 2019. The research has been undertaken by ISSER in association with National University of Ireland and International Center for Research in Women. The study is performed to get the right information on the economic and social costs of violence against girls and women in Ghana.