Human Rights and Development Services (HURDS) successfully climaxed the 2025 Sixteen Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence with impactful market storming activities at the Apremdo and Kojokrom markets in the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis.
On 10th December 2025, the HURDS team stormed the Apremdo Central Market to engage market women and men in conversations around sexual violence and domestic violence. The engagement focused on educating traders and shoppers on the forms and effects of sexual violence and encouraging survivors and witnesses to report incidents to appropriate institutions, including the Police, CHRAJ, DOVVSU, the Department of Social Welfare, and HURDS.
The activity formed part of efforts to contribute to the reduction of sexual violence, which continues to proliferate in society. The Apremdo market storm was supported by the African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF) under the KASA Project “Action to Protect.”
HURDS staff mounted pull-up banners and used placards with key messages to draw attention to the campaign. A sound system was used to educate the larger market population, while other team members moved through the market engaging individuals directly. Discussions focused on sexual violence, its consequences, available support systems, and the importance of speaking up. Awareness was also raised on the Domestic Violence Fund, which is currently operational to support victims.
The session ended with an interactive question-and-answer segment, allowing market participants to seek clarification on issues raised and better understand reporting pathways and support services.