Upper East Region officials urge end to family interference in defilement cases

Officials in Ghana’s Upper East Region are calling on families to stop interfering in defilement and rape cases. James Twene, Acting Upper East Regional Director of the Department of Gender, stated that some relatives report child abuse to the police only to later withdraw cooperation, which prevents prosecutors and law enforcement from securing justice for survivors.

During a Regional Review Meeting on Essential Services Providers, Twene noted that influential community figures, such as chiefs and assembly members, sometimes intervene to have criminal cases withdrawn. He emphasized that defilement and rape are criminal offenses that cannot be settled at the family level.

The meeting, funded by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), included representatives from the Ghana Health Service, the Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU), Social Welfare, the Judicial Service, and Legal Aid. Discussions also addressed the region’s high rate of teenage pregnancy, noting that approximately 49 girls aged between 10 and 14 are currently pregnant, a statistic that often points to potential defilement cases.