By S. Siapha Mulbah
The Human Rights Defenders Coalition of Liberia has taken its major awareness campaign on the legislation of the human rights defenders’ policy to the intellectual community by engaging in capacity building among members of the Center for the Exchange of Intellectual Opinions (CEIO).
LICHRD, clothed with the responsibility to provide an umbrella for all civil society groups concerned with human rights issues in the country is targeting the formalization of drafted policy that will empower and protect those working in the human rights sector.
Yesterday, members of different organizations including a representation from the Independent National Human Rights Commission, National Institute for Public Opinion, Human Rights Network Foundation, and the Women Democracy Network gathered at central Monrovia’s lead intellectual forum informing the audience that human rights defense is a major priority for every citizen and it starts from a background of total inclusivity.
Niedoteh Boye Torbor, Chairperson of the Liberia Coalition of Human Defenders took on the discourse a clear message that the government’s delay and failure to have a defensive policy for civil and human rights activists in the country poses a threat to adequate defense along the way.
Giving a background of LICHRD working in the country before embarking on the initiative to hold government feet to the fire for the implementation of a basic tool to safeguard human existence, Mr. Torbor said it is seemingly impossible to have human programs making an impact as expected if the citizens are not inclined to the role of the policy that will cover what it takes to fight for the right thing to be done.
Speaking to the intellectuals, the human rights advocate asserted that the leadership and members of the intellectual community join the campaign that is currently pressuring the government to do the needful, especially at the legislature.
He explained that the coalition’s membership is diverse and open to working across different thematic directions affected by the absence of a comprehensive guide and policy for those doing the work of the activists.
Meanwhile, the coalition also allotted a slot to CEIO from part of the technical committee to review and form part of the policy enforcement exercise of the network.
He cautioned civil society groups not to be deterred from practicing the charges bestowed on them revealing that the coalition is always available to back their advocacy and defense for a just society.
Members of the audience made important explanations for some missteps and harmful practices witnessed in different communities and called on LICHRD to further its initiatives more robustly.
