By Bill W. Cooper
Vice President, Jewel Howard-Taylor is calling on parents to close the gaps if Gender Based Violence (GBV) is to be eradicated in the society because according to her, it is damaging at all levels.
Serving as chief launcher at a week-long sensitization workshop on enhancing the capacity of local community actors to prevent and response to GBV across Liberia, Madam Taylor reemphasized the need for parents to provide more parental care for their child/children in order to save them from being abused.
Madam Taylor noted that one of the surest ways in preventing the increase or eradicating GBV from Liberia is for parents to begin to pay more attention to the upbringing of their kids.
“Because the issue of Sexual Gender-Based Violence is not just in Liberia but across the world and it seems to be rising and the outbreak of COVID-19 has helped because many people were not kept at home as parents had to go fend for their living,” she reiterated with passion.
“So, I said this before and people misunderstood me but let me say again that it is now time that we mothers look after our children because with that, we will not have them abused by their male counterparts or whosoever,” she maintained.
According to her, her assertion is not that she is putting blames on parents especially women for the abuse or rape of their children but instead, it should be seen as an advise that it is our (mothers) young girls and boys who being sexually abused or by either ways.
She added, “I am not blaming our parents for anything but it is time that parents including me close the gaps in our schools, communities, churches and businesses and work places so that our children cannot easily be taken advantage off.”
Vice President Howard-Taylor then cautioned participants to ensure that they use the knowledge that they will acquire from the five-day training and help government’s partners in the fight against GBV across Liberia.
With support from the Danish Government, the workshop is being organized by the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Center (KAIPTC) as part of its 2021/2022 ‘Promoting Peace and Security in West Africa’ project in partnership with the Catholic Relief Services (CRS).
The interactive workshop which is expected to run from 23-27 of May, 2022, kicked off yesterday in Monrovia and is being organized by KAIPTC represented by its Commandant, Maj. Gen. Francis Ofori in partnership with CRS represented by its Country Manager, Dr. Abena Amedormey and also facilitated by key actors including the Head of Women and Children Protection Section of the Liberia National Police, ACP Susie T. Telleh, legal practitioners, among others.
Earlier, the KAIPTC Commandant, Maj. Gen. Ofori stressed that continuous violence against women and girls is notably one of the most prevalent human rights in the world, and as such; there is an urgent need for holistic approach to address the menace.
He said in addressing the menace, the workshop organized by KAIPTC aims at enhancing individual knowledge and skills, shape attitudes while building a sense of teamwork and collaboration among a cross-section of local actors.
According to him, the workshop will also provide participants with requisite tools and skillsets to effectively prevent and respond to Gender-Based Violence in Liberia, adding, “Because since the signing of the Domestic Violence Act (DVA) in 2019 by President George M. Weah which seeks to promote gender equality, women and children protection among others, GBV continues to be prevalent, especially at the community levels.”
“So, it is our expectations that, the workshop would contribute to strengthening your capacity and add value to your professional life as you continue to support and promote the fight against GBV in Liberia. We urge you to transfer the knowledge you will acquire from the programme to your colleagues and members of your communities,” he stressed.
CRS Country Manager, Amedormey said that since the opening of CRS Country Program Office in Liberia, it has recognized that gender inequality critically impacts and intersects with trends of poverty, vulnerability, and injustice, and as such, they seek transformational change in all areas we work across.
According to her, decreasing GBV requires a community-based, multi-pronged approach and sustained engagement with multiple stakeholders, noting that a number of programs in CRS address GBV and have successfully integrated gender peaceful masculinities for men and boys.
She added that said approach has improved the likelihood of men and boys perpetrating violence against women and girls or other men and boys, but also of men and boys experiencing violence.
Dr. Amedormey then expressed her excitement in partnering with KAIPTC on the sensitization workshop on enhancing the capacity of local community actors to prevent and respond to GBV, something she said helps stamp their commitment to said goal and vision.
