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UN Women Official Calls For Equal Rights, Opportunity

By Reagan S. Lebbie

MONROVIA, Nov. 3 (LINA) – The Program Analyst at the United Nations Women in Liberia, Dhogba Mabande, has called on national, international churches and the Liberian government to collectively work to ensure that violence and discrimination come to an end in the world, most especially Liberia.

Gender equality is not only limited to fundamental human rights, but a necessary foundation for a peaceful, prosperous and sustainable world, providing women and girls equal access to education, health care, decent work, and representation in political and economic decision-making processes that will obviously fuel sustainable economics and benefit societies and humanity at large, Mabande observed.

« By achieving Gender equality and the employment of women and girls, we will be able to address poverty, inequality and violence against women,” he said, adding that, “without gender equality and a full role for women in society, in the economy, in governance, we will not be able to achieve the society we hope for, » Mabande said.

Speaking  at the end of a two-day Capacity Building for Churches under the auspices of Lutheran World Federation and partners on Friday, he offered thanks and appreciation to the LWF for the ecumenical initiative « Waking the Giant » which aims at building the capacity of the churches to contribute effectively to the 2030 UN Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals.

“We address discrimination and ensure protection of the rights of all in the Church, Mosques, and homes, including women and girls in Liberia and the world at large.

According to him, ‘waking the giant’ requires the church to rise and take the necessary actions that ensure women are at the table when decision are being made, and that women are at leadership level in society and the church.

According to him, churches in the world today have also contributed to the low status of women in society, adding that, some churches don’t allow women as Priests, Bishops, Pastors, among others, saying all the good things always belong to men while the lower roles belong to the women, a practice that needs to stop in the face of the advocacy for more women in top positions.

He further said the implementing laws and policies that protect women and girls in every spectrum of society, including workplaces and the eradication of harmful practices targeting, specifically at women, is crucial to ending the violence against women in Liberia and globally.

Where is the giant when there were 1,518 rape cases reported and documented by the Ministry of Gender in 2018, he asked, adding that, of this number only 111 SGBV cases were prosecuted, leaving one the wonder where is the giant when the number of domestic violence cases is on the rise.

Mabande then spoke of the “need to stand as Liberians to go against those bad apples in our society that are causing serious problem for us.”

LINA RSL/PTK