Chief Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie Wednesday said Gender-Based Violence (GBV) in Ghana, occurring in homes, communities and increasingly across digital platforms, cannot be eliminated by any single institution.
“Gender-based violence, whether in our homes, communities or digital platforms, cannot be eliminated by any single institution. Not just the police, not only the courts, and not civil society alone,” he said.
“It requires all of us, united by purpose, commitment and a shared belief that every individual deserves dignity and safety.”
In a speech read on his behalf at the Law Court Complex to mark the 2025 16 Days of Activism Against GBV, the Chief Justice cited national data indicating that one in three women in Ghana has experienced physical, emotional or sexual violence, noting that the nature of abuse was rapidly evolving.
“Once, abuse stayed behind closed doors. Today, it hides in the glow of our screens. Harm now travels through WhatsApp messages, through the non-consensual sharing of intimate images, through online threats, cyberstalking and relentless digital humiliation,” he said.
The event, on the sub-theme “Upholding Rights, Delivering Justice: The Role in Curbing Gender-Based Violence in Ghana”, aligned with the global theme: “Unite to End Digital Violence Against All Women and Girls.”
Participants included queen mothers, officials of the Department of Social Welfare, Civil Society Organisations, the Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU), the Cyber Security Authority, UN Women, and the African Women Leaders Network (AWLN) Ghana.
Chief Justice Baffoe-Bonnie -warned that the country had “entered a new era of violence” and must, therefore, “enter a new era of justice.”
He recalled recent incidents, including the widely reported case of a man who burnt his wife and children to death before taking his own life, and the assault of a teenage girl in the Ashanti Region which was filmed and circulated online.
“That teenage girl’s pain moved across phones while she was still struggling to find help in her own community. This is the reality we face today: our digital spaces have become new crime scenes,” he said.
Justice Baffoe-Bonnie expressed regret that although Ghana had several laws addressing GBV, many survivors still did not report cases because the justice process was slow, they feared being blamed, or believed nothing would come of their complaints.
“These are the voices we must carry into our decisions. These are the truths that must influence our reforms,” he stated.
The Judiciary, he said, had in recent years, taken steps to adopt gender-sensitive court procedures, integrate human-rights approaches, and train judges in handling digital evidence and GBV-related cases.
“The Judiciary is ready to strengthen its response. Justice is a chain; if one link breaks, the survivor falls through,” the Chief Justice said.
He envisioned a justice system “where survivors feel safe using the courts, perpetrators face consequences both online and offline, violence is no longer normalised, and partnerships among CSOs, the media, academia and development partners are consistent and effective.”
Achieving that vision, he noted, required accountability, transparency, innovation and empathy.
Justice Baffoe-Bonnie, therefore, urged all stakeholders to challenge harmful norms, close existing protection gaps, and act decisively wherever divisions hinder progress.
Justice Patricia Naa Afarley Dadson, Deputy Judicial Secretary and Court Manager of the Law Court Complex, described GBV as one of Ghana’s most pressing human rights concerns.
The rise of digital abuse, she said, had created new avenues for harassment, exploitation and the silencing of women and girls.
“Today’s engagement arrives at a crucial time as our institution works to strengthen prevention, protection and accountability mechanisms across both physical and online environments,” she noted.
Dr Charity Binka, Chairperson of the AWLN Ghana Chapter, said global statistics showed that 137 women were killed every day, often by intimate partners or family members.
“Behind these numbers are real lives, families torn apart, dreams shattered and futures stolen. Each statistic carries a story of fear, pain and resilience,” she said.
She emphasised that GBV was not a women’s issue but a societal one, driven by silence, shame and harmful stereotypes that trivialised victims’ experiences and undermined their search for justice.