PHOTO: Flashback- one of the Spotlight Initiative programs
By Alfred Kollie, email: alfredkolliejr92@gmail.com
The EU/UN Spotlight Initiative has embarked on a program to create public awareness on existing laws and policies on SGBV, HPS and SRHR including access to legal redress by survival in Liberia.
The awareness is being implemented in the five Spotlight Counties with a cross-sectioon of state actors including Traditional leaders, students, disabilities, Marginalized Group, women and men in the Lofa, Nimba, Grand Gedeh, Grand Cape and Montserrado, respectively.
The public awareness on laws and policies on Sexual Gender Based Violence, Harmful Practices (FGM, Early, child marriage), Sexual Representative Health and Rights including accessing to legal redress by survival is being implemented by the He For She Crusaders Liberia ( HEFOSEL) with support from UN Women under the EU/UN Spotlight Initiative through West African Peace Building Network ( WANEP/ WINEP)).
Speaking Thursday March 18, 2021 at the awareness dialogue with 41 National Tribe Governors of Liberia and other Traditional leaders in Monrovia, the Founder and National Coordinator of He For She Crusaders Liberia Mr. Tamba F. J. Johnson, appreciated the traditional leaders for their willingness to always accept and get involved with issues of national concerns.
He recalled that in 2020, the Traditional leaders pledged their support toward the fight of violence in Liberia including awareness on COVID19.”
“With our elders taking the lead, we can be assured that SGBV, HPs , SRHR and access to legal redress can equally be handled” he noted.
According to the Human Right advicate, “laws and policies are meant to protect and provide real rights, leaving no one behind including Disability, people with different sexual orientation, women, girls, boys and men”.
He further mentioned that the 1986 Constitution of Liberia, declared Liberia a Secular State meaning all have rights to be given equal opportunities, equal protection and equal access to seek legal answers to their dissatisfaction.
Mr. Johnson further mentioned that laws like the Inheritance Law, Rape Law, Domestic Violence Law, Convention on Elimination of all forms of violence against women ( CEDAW), Mapotu Protocol, all call for ending violence against women, girls and marginalized group as well called for opportunities to be given to all irrespective of his or her gender and sexual identity.
Violence against women, girls, Marginalized Group is wrong, Liberia must respect and protect all, because she is a signature to the Declaration of Human Rights, and makes Periodic Reports to International Convention on Civil and Political Right during Universal Periodic Review (UPR).
In 2018 July, ICCPR/ UPR on the Concluding Observation on Liberia flagged 26 list of issues for Liberia to address herself to, amongst which were ” Improve human rights standard consider prison facilities, health care services, livelihood, end FGM by legislation or law, consider the establishment of War and Economic Crime Court, etc.
Liberia is lacking behind on many of these. Laws and policies must be implemented to solve many issues.
The human rights Advocate concluded by appreciating EU/UN for the support and urged traditional leaders to keep the torch burning in the communities by educating their Kingsman, ensuring that justice is dispend without fear and compromising.
For her part, Madam Musu K. Thompson, President of the National Tribal Governors of Liberia, extend thanks and appreciation to EU/ UN Spotlight for the level of supports given to Liberia and to He For She Crusaders Liberia for always reaching out to the “Owners of the Land. This shows respect and further developed trust to work together.”
We traditional leaders of Liberia, will go out but ” We are asking He For She Crusaders Liberia to talk to EU/ UN support to our engagement, if this is done, we traditional leaders will provide the needed answers to SGBV, HPs and SRHR, as for the access to legal redress, we will ensure that courts and families don’t compromise issues, because our ears and eyes will be opened, when we hear noise, we will use traditional intervention to solve that issues, So, “we, traditional leaders accept this initiative pray for more engagement,” she concluded.