MIT Solve

Solution Overview

Solution Name

Loud It Ghana

One-line solution summary.

Dealing with Gender-based violence one tap at a time.

Elevator pitch

What is your solution?

A software application that will operate within the University of Ghana campus. Loud it Ghana will serve three purposes;

1. Alert possible risk of abuse to the appropriate authorities.

2. Link survivors of gender-based violence to resources that will aim at providing retribution and restoration.

3. Educate and create awareness on gender-based violence and teach specific concepts including informed consent.

What specific problem are you trying to solve?

Create a safe space for students, especially women, on university campuses in the country.

Here in Ghana, six women are more likely to be raped every week with one man likely to be raped every year within that period, a six-year survey by the Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit revealed. An annual breakdown showed one woman was raped each day in 2011 and more than six women raped every week in 2015. Domestic violence is prevalent in Ghana, owing in part to a deep culturally acceptable for men to discipline their wives physically. In addition, many people are largely ignorant about the causes of gender-based violence, and concepts like informed consent help deal with GBV.

Social, cultural, and political norms in Ghana including gender roles also contribute to GBV.

Who does your solution serve? In what ways will the solution impact their lives?

Loud It Ghana will target University of Ghana students, especially girls as they are largely victims and survivors of GBV on campus.

Due to the disparities that exist in activism in the country, many young girls come to the university ignorant or without a comprehensive idea of informed consent and when not to give it. They are taken advantage of by student leaders or people who pose as academic guides. In certain instances, they are not able to reach out for help when they have been abused.

The software application will not only give them a mouthpiece to speak up about their abuses but help them learn, get retribution and contribute to dealing with rape culture on campus.

What steps have you taken to understand the needs of the population you want to serve?

The growth and power of social media and technology in African and the world at large is undeniable. Many injustices have been dealt with through hashtags and mobile applications and GBV activism and mitigation are no different.

Through several interactions, many students are more comfortable with learning online or reporting their abuses without having to go through a long queue. In fact, they are more likely to speak to with less human interaction as they believe with help them avoid the stereotypes attached with being a survivor.

Working with young girls in rural spaces, they believe an application where they can sit in the comforts of their home and learn about how to navigate their sexual lives in the university will reduce the embarrassment of having to ask adults.

Which aspects of the Challenge does your solution most closely address?

Other: Addressing an unmet social, environmental, or economic need not covered in the four dimensions above

What is the unmet need that your solution tried to address? Why is it important?

A safe space where survivors can seek redress for their abuses, and additionally a place where people can possibly prevent GBV.

Our solution's stage of development:

Concept: An idea being explored for its feasibility to build a product, service, or business model based on that idea

Explain why you selected this stage of development for your solution—in other words, what have you accomplished to date?

The lack of resources, including data and logistics, to deal with GBV on most university campuses within the country, is the very reason only one University campus has been chosen.

So far, discussions have been held with various discussions have been held with the Universities anti-harassment committee, in charge of dealing with GBV on campus, and other sub-institutional channels who will be receiving alerts of possible abuses.

Where our solution team is headquartered or located:

Accra, Ghana

Team Lead:

Priscilla Owusu, Student.