By Tokpa Tarnue– tarnue82@gmail.com
VOINJAMA, Liberia- An intensive campaign seeking to advance the rights of Girls, promote inclusion and gender equality for them and vulnerable young women in Liberia has being rolled out in Voinjama, Liberia’s northwestern Lofa County by Plan International Liberia.
Speaking at the official launch ceremony in Voinjama on January 29, 2020, Plan International Liberia Lofa Program Intervention and Influencing Areas Manager, Abdul R, Sheriff indicated that the Girls Get Equal is a global campaign demanding power, freedom and representation for girls and young women.
“It’s about ensuring that girls and young women have power over their own life and can shape the world around them,” Manager Sheriff disclosed.
He said the campaign also seeks to ensure a world free from discrimination, harassment and violence.
“Imagine a world where you see and hear girls equally in the corridors of power, at decision making tables, in boardrooms, in the Media; “imagine a world that values girls, and where girls value themselves,” the Plan Lofa Program Manager, Abdul cautioned the audience.
According to him, the Girls Get Equal has three campaign demands namely, Girls Get Equal Power, Girls Get Equal Freedom and Girls Get Equal Representation.
“The campaign is in support of Girls’ power, voice, participation and leadership in over 60 countries and this girls; rights movement is changing our world but girls can’t achieve equally alone, they need allies like the you all in Lofa and Liberia at large,” Manager Sheriff concluded.
Delivering her keynote address, Student Blessing Smith of the Voinjama Free Pentecostal Mission High School challenged her fellow young women to speak out in their communities.
“We will not rest until our three demands which includes Girls Get Equal Power, Girls Get Equal Freedom and Girls Get Equal Representation are fully met” Student Blessing noted.
She thanked Plan International Liberia for the level of support to girls and young women across Lofa County and Liberia at large.
“The rolling out of this intensive campaign today should serve as a motivation for all of our stakeholders and our parents to join in the campaign in ensuring that its objectives are met” Madam Blessing cautioned the gartering.
Serving as Chief Launcher of the campaign, Mother Phils D. Varfee of the Voinjama Free Pentecostal Central Church called on girls and young women to take their education seriously if they are to succeed in life.
“Men who are involve in violating the rights of our girls and young women especially rape need to be castrated because they are not real human,” Mother Varfee noted.
She also challenged parents to never give up in supporting their girls and young women through education.
The official rollout ceremony in Voinjama was graced by the County’s authorities, CSOs, Youth Groups, Women, the religious communities, traditional leaders, Children Youth Advisory Board and students among several others. ____________________________________________