On 8th November 2021, WAPCAS in partnership with the Domestic Violence and Victims Support UNIT of the Ghana Police (DOVVSU) organized a five-day Trainer of Trainers’ course for forty-seven Regional , Divisional and District DOVVSU Coordinators from the Greater Accra, Central, Western, Eastern, Bono, Volta, Upper East, Upper West and Northern Region from 8th – 12th November 2021 at the Crystal Palm Hotel in Accra. The objective of the training was to build the capacity of participants in Sexual and Gender Based Violence, HIV prevention and Stigma related cases. The opening ceremony was moderated by Chief Inspector Angelina Kumi, the Public Relations Officer for the Public Affairs Department (PAD) and graced by key personality such as the Deputy Director General for Criminal Investigation Department Mr. Fredrick Adjei, the Coordinating Director for Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit, Chief Superintendent Owusuwaa Kyeremeh and the Executive Director for the Ghana West African Program to Combat AIDS and STI Mrs Comfort Asamoah Adu.
In his opening comments the Deputy Director General for Criminal Investigation Department Mr. Fredrick Adjei, mentioned that from 2016 to 2020 Domestic Violence cases have continuously increase with a slight reduction in cases by end of the year 2020 and to bring these figures further down there is the need to engage in effective collaboration and partnership with key stakeholder like WAPCAS, who have supported and continue to support DOVVSU to implement key programs. He called on participants to take advantage of the support WAPCAS will be giving to DOVVSU under the WAPCAS Global Fund NFM III Key Population Grant from 2021 – 2023, this he said will encourage other stakeholders to support the Unit. Mrs Comfort Asamoah Adu the Executive for WAPCAS announced that WAPCAS will be adopting the newly established DOVVSU shelter and provide equipment to support the unit. she further called for more support for the Unit and ended by thanking WAPCAS for the support it has extended to DOVVSU. the Coordinating Director for Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit, Chief Superintendent Owusuwaa Kyeremeh. She mentioned that this was an opportunity for participants to add on new knowledge, acquire new skills and share experiences to provide quality services to victims and ensure accusers are made to face the law, she expressed her sincere appreciation to WAPCAS for supporting this training and years in providing financial assistant, as well as assisting with communication in reaching out to survivors and other equipment’s to DOVVSU,
Participants were taken through key issues including the role of the police in HIV intervention, STI / HIV current trends, Stigma, and discrimination in relation to HIV and COVID, the Cyber Security act and electronic evidence management, Network and coordination of victim support Basic counselling for survivors of abuse and practical issues in providing support for survivors.
At the end of the meeting participant expressed their excitement to share the knowledge they have acquired with colleagues and hoped to make an impact in the lives of victims.