Association of Women Lawyers calls for national sexual offenders register to protect school children

The Association of Women Lawyers in Ghana (AWLA Ghana) has urged the government to create a National Sexual Offenders Register and implement mandatory background checks for school staff, following claims of sexual abuse against female students. In a statement released on October 15, AWLA Ghana expressed concerns about the handling of abuse accusations and the protection of schoolgirls, following a JoyNews investigation titled “Threats, Victim Blaming & More: How Authorities Failed on Abuse Claims Against Obuasi SHTS Headmaster.”

The association emphasized that schools should be safe learning environments, while recognizing the importance of fair investigation and guilt determination through due process.

AWLA Ghana called for the establishment of the register to identify individuals convicted of sexual offenses, particularly those involving children, to aid in school and other child-serving institution recruitment and vetting procedures. They also demanded independent and timely investigations, confidential reporting systems to safeguard students from intimidation or retaliation, and accountability for institutional failures when wrongdoing is proven.

The organization stressed the need for survivor support, including psychosocial care, access to justice, and the protection of victims’ right to education. AWLA Ghana warned that dismissing complaints, silencing victims, and prioritizing institutional reputation over children's safety could perpetuate abuse, urging authorities to handle every allegation swiftly, sensitively, and impartially, while reinforcing safeguards to prevent sexual abuse and protect children.

The association concluded by calling for the protection of girls, an end to institutional silence, accountability for perpetrators, and the implementation of the proposed register with appropriate legal and data-protection measures.