The He4She Crusaders of Liberia organization is said to be intensifying its campaign on ending Violence Against Women, Girls and Marginalized Groups (EVAWG) across the country.
The He4She Crusaders, a non-governmental and non-political institution, is at the same time calling on the government to ensure that the recently bought DNA machines are used to detect all reported rape cases across Liberia.
According to the organization, if Liberia must win the fight against SGBV, the government needs to ensure that it has functioning DNA machines to add speed in the investigation of such cases especially detainees accused of rape whose rights are to also be protected.
The organization also stressed the need for the promotion Gender Equality and Women Empowerment (GEWE) as well as Sexual Reproductive Health Rights (SRHR) and other human rights with focus on FGM.
The He4She Crusaders Liberia is a male-led organizations sub-granted by West Africa Peace Building Network under the Spotlight Initiative through UN Women to increase awareness through direct males engagements.
Speaking at the kick-off of the campaign over the weekend, in Grand Cape Mount County, the organization Cape Mount Chapter Coordinator, Richard B. Kpehe, encouraged boys and men to consider positive masculinity and fatherhood as a mechanism through which violence can be reduced and or eradicated.
According to him, violence is associated with power dynamics as such, men are afraid to share their power and authority with females, something he described as wrong and unfair to the females of the country.
He added, “If we must coexist, we men and boys must understand that women and girls have rights like us. We have daughters, sisters and wives; if we don’t protect, promote and afford them the opportunities now, tell me, who do we expect to do it for them?”
Earlier, He4She Crusaders Founder and National Coordinator and a Human Right Activist, Tamba F. J. Johnson, lauded the EU/UN Spotlight Initiative through UN Women and WANEP for considering the organization and other institutions to intensify boys and men engagements in Liberia.
According to him, the awareness will be conducted in 50 communities within 5 counties ranging from Lofa, Nimba, Grand Gedeh, Grand Cape Mount and Montserrado Counties, and over 250 boys and 125 men are expected to propagate the awareness within various schools and communities across those listed counties.
His estimation is that 3,500 more men and boys in schools and communities are to be reached through peer to peer engagements, outreaches and media engagements.
Mr. Johnson then welcomed the 30 percent mandate for political parties to ensure females representation, but frowned at the increment of registration fees from US$500 to US$7,500 thus describing it as unrealistic which he sees as a clever attempt to further marginalized and prevent desirable female from vying/contesting for Representative and Senatorial offices come 2023 and beyond.
He added, “While it is welcoming news to have increased women faces within political parties, equally so, if we are not mindful, very soon, we will have women voices being silenced and or missing from decision making at parliament due to the 300 percent increment in the registration fees for candidates.”
