A local NGO under the flagbearer Rescue Women Liberia (RWL) has embarked on a fight to eliminate and bring an end to Sexual Gender-base- violence (SGBV) and Harmful Traditional Practices (HTPs).
In an attempt to limit the risk of SGBV and HTPs, Rescue Women Liberia (RWL) held a two-day dialogue to brainstorm with key actors to find an applicable solutions in eliminating SGBV/HTPs.
The one-day dialogue organized by the Rescue Women Liberia (RWL) with funding from EU/UN Spotlight Initiative-Phase-II project, was held under the theme: “Enhancing the capacity of stakeholders, local community to eliminate SGBV/HTPs against women and girls.
Speaking during the daylong dialogue, Martha M. Nyae, a participant from the Joint District Women Movement to end SGBV & HTPs describes the issue of Sexual Gender Based Violence SGBV and Harmful Traditional Practices HTPs as a national security threat and said a means to end this is to get all stakeholders involves.
Nyae, also highlights the needs for the Government of Liberia (GOL) through National stakeholders to tackle and fight against drugs users, something she noted as one key issue hindering the growth and development of Liberia.
Madam Nyae, said substance and drug abuse in Liberia are major contributing factor to the destruction of many children, young men and women, eventually it’s leading to an increase in criminal’s activities in the country, because these youth are mostly unemployed, and are engaged into criminals activities.
“Beyond this issue of SGBV & HTPs, drug users is something we need to look at very seriously as our children are being exposed to danger and I see trouble and a nation of no hope” Said Martha M. Nyae .
Rural Montserrado- Sexual Gender based Violence (SGBV)& Harmful Traditional Practices (HTPs) remains a challenge for all actors in our various communities across Liberia and sadly not much has been done, but yet our women and girls lives are lost daily with some ending up in forever pain and mental illnesses amongst others.
“UN Women database on Violence against Women in Liberia for the past 12months shows that, “Prevalence Data on Different Forms of Violence against Women: Lifetime Physical and or Sexual Intimate Partner Violence stand at 38.5 %, while Lifetime Non-Partner Sexual Violence is at 2.6%, while earlier child Marriage is 35.9% and Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) /Cutting is 44.4%”.
The aimed of the one-day SGBV & HTPs Dialogue was to increase the capacity, of people in the rural area to be vigilant about the effect of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) female genital mutilation (FGM) and early child marriages and be able to alert the proper authorities for quick response.
In brief remark, Montserrado County Gender Coordinator, Benedict D. Nyae, Sr commended Rescue Women Liberia (RWL) for the training and also called on participants to be an Ambassadors out in various homes, communities, work places as way of helping to end the issue of SGBV and HTPs.
Briefly in other words from the participants, they express excitement in learning new things that will serve as tools in helping to end these abuses and lauded Rescue Women Liberia (RWL) for giving them the opportunity in meeting and hearing from other actors in the fight to end SGBV.
Meanwhile, the EU/UN Spotlight Initiative Project Phase II- Human Rights, SGBV/HTPs and Legal Advocacy Training with stakeholders , women groups, Community members, CSOs and Traditional/Religious leaders from Todee, brought together over 50 participants.
The District Women Advocacy Group (DWAG) was established in 2021 under the Spotlight Project Phase I to create awareness in in 24 communities namely (Todee, Johnsonville, Careysburg and Caldwell, advocate for policy change to meet the needs of women and to adequately respond to cases of SGBV/HTPs by ensuring that these cases are reported to the proper authorities.
Story edited by Emmanuel Jipoh
