Vice President Prof. Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang has called for stronger accountability and enforcement of laws to combat sexual exploitation in workplaces and academic institutions.
She made the call when she attended the Sex for Jobs Conference, organised by The Ark Foundation Ghana under the theme, “Promoting Accountability and Protecting Those Who Have Suffered Abuse.”
The Vice President stressed that nobody should be subjected to sexual harassment or exploitation as a condition for securing employment or achieving professional and academic advancement.
“Preventing such acts requires daily vigilance from all of us—government officials, public and private institutions, and citizens—in our homes, workplaces and schools,” she said.
Prof. Opoku-Agyemang noted that Ghana had laws, policies and institutional frameworks, alongside international human rights and workplace protection standards, to address sexual exploitation.
She, however, identified consistent enforcement of these protections as a major challenge, stressing that the existence of legislation alone could not guarantee the safety of people at risk of abuse.
The Vice President said government had recently undertaken efforts to strengthen gender equity and social protection through the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, the Ministry of Education and the Ghana Education Service.
She called on public and private institutions to build organisational cultures that reject exploitation, establish clear standards of professional conduct and promote public education on sexual harassment and abuse.
She also emphasised the need for leadership willing to take action whenever wrongdoing was established.
Prof. Opoku-Agyemang commended the Executive Director of The Ark Foundation Ghana, Dr Angela Dwamena-Aboagye, and her team for sustaining their advocacy and working to protect people vulnerable to sexual exploitation.
