Community Engagement on Intimate Partner Violence – Azizanya

Renel Ghana Foundation, under the Gender Rights and Empowerment Project and in partnership with Songtaba, supported a community dialogue in Azizanya with technical input from the Ghana Health Service. The session explored the physical, emotional and psychological effects of intimate partner violence, emphasised early identification and prevention, and used shared experiences and open discussion to strengthen local support systems.

Overview
An interactive community dialogue in Azizanya brought together residents, health workers and community champions to discuss the multifaceted impacts of IPV and practical steps for prevention and early intervention under the Gender Rights and Empowerment Project.

Purpose

• Raise awareness of the physical, emotional and psychological consequences of IPV.
• Promote early identification of risk and timely referral to services.
• Encourage community ownership of prevention through shared learning and peer support.
• Strengthen linkages between community actors and health and social services.

Activities delivered

• Facilitated group discussions and experience sharing to surface local drivers and barriers.
• Short presentations by Ghana Health Service on clinical signs, first response and referral steps.
• Practical exercises on safe listening, bystander support and how to guide survivors to services.
• Distribution of referral contacts and simple guidance for community champions.

Participants and roles

• Community members including women, men and youth who shared lived experiences.
• Ghana Health Service staff providing clinical guidance and referral protocols.
• Community champions and volunteers identified to lead follow‑up sensitisation.
• Renel Ghana Foundation and Songtaba coordinating logistics and follow‑up actions.