Takoradi: Hen Mpoano, a non-government organisation focused on coastal and marine ecosystems, has introduced a Gender-Based Violence (GBV) Prevalence Data Dashboard to address gender disparity and violence against both women and men in coastal communities. According to Ghana News Agency, the web-based tool was launched under the Women in Fisheries Against Violence (WiFVEs) project, which is jointly implemented by Hen Mpoano and CEWEFIA, another NGO. This initiative aims to provide real-time tracking of GBV trends in the project's implementing communities across the Central and Western regions. The launch event in Takoradi was attended by key stakeholders in the fisheries sector, who were briefed on the dashboard's functionalities and how they can contribute to enhancing its effectiveness. The WiFVEs project is a three-year initiative funded by the European Union, designed to promote gender equality in Ghana's fisheries sector by advocating against GBV, abuse, and discrimination. It also aims to strengthen t he capacity of fishers and community leaders to prevent and respond to GBV, support law enforcement in combating GBV, and improve access to social services and livelihood opportunities for women at risk and survivors of GBV. Mr. Justice Mensah, a Project Manager at Hen Mpoano, highlighted that between September and December 2023, a survey on GBV prevalence was conducted in 18 fishing communities across seven districts in the Central and Western regions. The survey revealed that GBV issues included physical, sexual, and economic abuses, with 41 per cent of respondents experiencing physical violence, 43 per cent sexual violence, and 17.3 per cent economic-related abuses. The findings led to the development of the web-tool to track progress on key GBV indicators in these areas. The survey also found that 75.9 per cent of residents in the fishing communities acknowledged the severity of GBV issues, prompting calls for increased awareness to mitigate such incidents. Madam Adiza Ama Owusu, the WiFVEs Project Mana ger, noted that declining fishing yields were exacerbating tensions and resulting in various forms of violence in coastal communities. She urged policymakers to prioritize economic empowerment interventions to provide alternative livelihoods for coastal dwellers, which could improve living standards and reduce GBV issues. Madam Maribel Akuorkor Okine, Western Regional Director of the Department of Gender, praised Hen Mpoano and its partners for developing the GBV dashboard. She stated that the Department would integrate the dashboard into its monitoring tools to help prevent rising GBV issues at local, regional, and national levels. Mr. Kabutey Jonas, Ellembelle District Social Welfare Officer, added that the dashboard would assist the social welfare department in tracking GBV-prone areas for necessary action.