Violence against women and the macroeconomy: The case of Ghana

Violence against women (VAW) is a widely recognized human rights violation but whose wider economic ramifications are less understood. In this article, applying the multiplier analysis based on 2015 social accounting matrix of Ghana, we outline how the individual microlevel income loss is translated to a macroeconomic loss. We argue that the macroeconomic loss due to VAW, which amounts to about 0.94% of Ghanaian GDP, is not a once-off loss but a permanent invisible leakage from the circular flow of the economy. The article highlights the potential consequences of the loss over a period of time in the status quo scenario.