By Nyema Nma, Jr.
The United Nations Human Rights Office (Office of the High Commission on Human Rights-OHCHR) and the Peace Building Office (PBO) at the Ministry of the Internal Affairs have begun four regional trainings Community Peace Committees, Early Warning and Early Response officers, Civil Society Organizations, Women & Youth Groups & religious leaders as well as journalist on Human Rights-Based Approach to the Electoral Process, Early Warning Conflict-Sensitive Reporting.
The first training, which brought together over 60 participants from across the western region was held from December 29-30, 2022 in Tubmanburg for Bomi, Gbapolu and Grand Cape Mount Counties.
According to the Project Officer of the Peace Building Office, Bill Cordor, the training was intended for CPC, EWER officers, religious leaders, women and youth groups as well as journalists triggering out conflict-sensitive issues during the electoral process and respond to them early to avoid conflict from either side of the electoral field.
“We want to ensure that you, our EWER officers, CPC, women and youth groups, CSOs, community and religious leaders have the right information on how to identify conflict in its early stage and respond to it appropriately,” Mr. Cordor told participants in Tubmanburg.
The training is a Peacebuilding Fund project on election to promote peaceful electoral environment and community security in Liberia, it is held under the theme: “Promoting Human Rights and Peaceful Environment.” organized by the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human rights (OHCHR) and the Peace Building Office in collaboration with the Independent National Commission on Human Rights (INCHR).
For his part, Prof. David Dolo informed participants that the UN OHCHR project aims to address the most prominent and underfunded potential triggers of violence and to strengthen response mechanisms so as to make more inclusive, more effective and better coordination, with a view to reducing the likelihood and intensity of violent conflict related to the electoral issues during and after 2023 elections.
He said the object of the training is in line with Liberia’s International Human Rights obligation and Pillars 3 & 4 of the govt’s medium term Development, the Pro–Poor Agenda for Prosperity and Development (PAPD), through its promotion of inclusive and peaceful elections, which is part of a well-developed framework for sustaining peace, formulated in accordance with Security Council Resolution 2333 of 2016.
