In 2020, Ghana’s Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU), recorded 1047 cases of female defilement and 305 female rape cases in the country.
This was a marginal decrease in defilement cases in 2019 (1,285) as well as rape cases (376).
In recent years, Ghana has taken significant strides in addressing sexual violence.
First established in October 1998 and known as the Women and Juvenile Unit (WAJU), DOVVSU was formed in response to the increasing number of reported cases of abuse and violence against women and children.
In 2005, it was renamed to its current designation, reflecting an expanded mandate to address a broader spectrum of domestic violence issues.
In August 2020, the organisation announced a new initiative in its fight against sexual violence: A sex offender registry.
The system was designed to track individuals convicted of sexual offenses in the country.
One of its goals was to help bolster the nation’s crime prevention mechanisms and provide a reference point for monitoring convicted sex offenders.
“We want to establish a register for rape convicts, people who have been convicted of rape so that it will be something that we can easily refer to,” Chief Superintendent, Owusuaa Kyeremeh said during a virtual seminar organized by the Justice Foundation, an apolitical, not-for-profit, and non-religious organization.
“…the Police Service is of the view that it is time we get sex offenders to register so we can easily cross-check and find out so if someone is going to look for a job we can always refer to that,” she added.
However, since its initial announcement in 2020, there haven’t been any updates on the register.
What Is A Sex Offender Registry?
The establishment of a sex offender registry serves several purposes if established.
It would act as a deterrent to potential offenders and including making information available for necessary checks during employment or other forms of social integration.
According to Chief Superintendent, Owusuaa Kyeremeh, convicted sex offenders would not be allowed to register for social media platforms, including Facebook.
The Labari Journal reached out to DOVVSU via email for an update on the sex registry. At the time of this publication, we had not received a response.
Sex Offender Registries in Other Countries
If Ghana eventually moves forward with this initiative, it will join a list of countries that have recognized the importance of such registries in their legal and social systems.
South Africa has had a sex offender registry since 2007. The list records details of individuals convicted of sexual offenses against a child or a mentally disabled person.
The list was made public at the end of February 2025.
Kenya launched its first electronic sex offender registry in 2023, which is accessible to legal officers and the public.
In some states in Nigeria, a national database of sex offenders was launched in 2019, with more states gradually coming on board.
Ethiopia was also planning to launch its sexual violence list later in 2024.
Ghana’s approach will likely reflect a careful consideration of these models, tailored to the nation’s specific legal and cultural context.
For now, information about the registry is scarce. There’s currently no timeline on when the registry will be ready to launch and if it will be made available to the public.
