Monrovia-The Girls for Change Organization (GFC) Liberia in collaboration with the Foundation for Community Initiative (FCI) has launched the “Community Engagement in Sexual and Gender Based Violence Response Project”.
A press release from the group said on Monday, August 31, 2020, that the project was launched August 19 at The Girls for Change, the Thinkers Village suburb of Monrovia.
The overall goal to contribute toward national efforts in reducing Sexual and Gender Based Violence through innovative technology called “SAV APP”. The “SAV APP” aims to swiftly report, respond, and fast track cases of 3 types of violence (including Rape) that have been perpetrated against Women and Girls in Liberia.
According to the Executive Director of Girls of Change, Mrs. Ora Barclay-Keller, the App will serve as a one stop platform for Women and Girls to access social services at the click of their finger, these services include, Police, Specialize Health practitioners, Psycosocial counselors and legal aid. Mrs. Keller disclosed that the project inception has kicked off in the 4 communities in Montserrado, 8 communities in Bomi and 8 in Cape Count Counties.
Also speaking was the co-Implementer and Lead on the project, the Executive Director, of Foundation for Community Initiatives and Chairperson of the National Civil Society Council of Liberia Mrs. Lauretta Pope- Kai.
Mrs. Pope-Kai explained that “the fight against Sexual and Gender Based Violence needs a holistic approach as such, the project will work with key stakeholders to include government institutions, civil society and community base structures to prevent and respond to Sexual and Gender Based Violence using innovation and technology.
She said the project came in the wake of increased wave of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence in Liberia and assured stakeholders that will use the fund and Sav App to support the reduction of violence against women and girls.
Both Girls for Change and Foundation for Community Initiative are leading institutions working on Gender Equality, Women’s Rights and fighting against Sexual Gender Based Violence in Liberia.
The project is funded by the Un Women, with support from the Women in Peace Humanitarian Funds (WPHF) under the Spotlight initiatives, that will contribute to UN Women thematic outcomes: Women right’s group autonomous social movements and relevant civil society organizations, including those representing youth, and groups facing intersecting forms of discriminations or marginalization.
The launch of the project was graced by national stakeholders including the Chief Launcher Madame Cecelia Brownell, who think “the issue of Sexual Gender Based Violence is everyone’s business. Madam Brownell serves as the General Supervisor of the Zone 6, Depot 1 National Police of Liberia.
Others were by Attn. Margaret Nigba, Director of Her Voice Liberia, Madam Crayton, County Representative of the OSIWA in Liberia, among others.
The Girls for Change mission is to empower marginalized teen mothers and their children, women and girls, to acquire equal opportunities, access to quality services, protection against sexual and all forms of violence and conflicts – creating a fairer world for all teen mothers and their children, girls and women.