In May 2026, GFRA conducted an extensive operational review of selected Circles of Support groups to assess their operational health, community engagement, and overall effectiveness.
Across Ghana’s coastline, in fishing communities where the pressures of poverty, irregular incomes, and social marginalisation converge, GFRA has established CoS groups, structured, community-based safe spaces where women and young people come together to seek peer support, share experiences, and collectively address the welfare challenges they face. Each CoS group creates a trusted environment in which members can speak openly about issues that are often invisible to formal service systems, including gender-based violence, economic hardship, mental and physical health concerns, child protection risks, and the particular vulnerabilities facing young women and girls in fishing communities. 25 Active CoS groups have been established across the 4 Coastal regions focusing on peer support, gender-based violence and child protection.
The review also identified opportunities to strengthen facilitation capacity, deepen the integration of CoS groups with the formal Case Referral System. These groups are structured to connect members to formal Case Referral System operating at the district assembly level. A CoS Member, stated that “we have grown in numbers and impact. Many want to join because the sense of belonging and protection is something we cannot buy from the market”.
While there are challenges, including trust issues, these groups continue to provide much-needed safe spaces and peer support structures in communities where formal welfare services remain limited or inaccessible. Women and young people engaged through the CoS groups consistently reported that participation had strengthened their confidence, expanded their awareness of their rights, and provided them with a trusted first point of contact when facing crisis situations.
