By Tokpa Tarnue. tarnue82@gmail.com
VOINJAMA, Liberia- The rationale behind the setting up of the Criminal Court “E” and the regional security Hubs regarding coordination and prosecution of Sexual and Gender Based Violence cases has been thoroughly explained during a just-ended three-day capacity building for Criminal Justice Chain Actors and Non-Justice Actors here in Lofa County.
The workshop was held by the Ministry Justice in collaboration with the United Nations Development Program the (UNDP) with support from the European Union Spotlight Initiative Project.
Speaking at the start of the training here, the SGBV Program Officer at the Ministry of Justice, Atty. Josephine S. Grose said the training brought together over twenty justice and non-justice actors centered around the medical management of SGBV cases, psychosocial management of SGBV cases and trauma healing process, gender mainstreaming to include women and girls as well as persons with disabilities.
She further disclosed that the Unit is continuing to coordinate and prosecute cases in Montserrado County, exclusively in the created criminal Court E, and also within the established security HUBS to include: HUB-1 for Bong, Lofa and Nimba Counties, HUB-2 for Maryland, River-Gee and Grand Kru Counties, and HUB-3 for Grand Gedeh and Sinoe Counties respectively.
The current initiatives by the Ministry of Justice and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), phase three of the project has been implemented, the Unit has extended its operation in prosecuting sexual cases in eight counties namely; HUB 1 (Bong, Nimba & Lofa Counties), HUB 2 (Maryland, River gee & Grand Kru Counties) and HUB 3 (Grand Gedeh & Sinoe Counties).
She named other key topics as, the roles and responsibilities of a victim support officer (VSO) and Coordination with SGBV actors, testifying to medical reports; cross examinations of nurses, victims and witnesses, key international and national concepts of human rights, specific women’s human rights violations and protection of rights, monitoring
The SGBV Crimes Unit she said is a specially trained Unit to provide rapid investigative and prosecutorial response to complaints of sexual assault, abuse, and exploitation in order to justly and fairly hold perpetrators accountable and provide support to victim.
“We have made tremendous progress in achieving the overall aims and objectives of mission,” Madam Josephine indicated.