By Decontee M. Wesseh
Monrovia, Nov. 27 (LINA) – Liberians must now muster the courage to fight against Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) through accelerated and collective efforts that should hold perpetrators accountable, the Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection has said.
Minister Williametta Saydee-Tarr said it was imperative that citizens jointly build on achievements of the past and decentralize strategies by taking anti-SGBV messages to families in all parts of Liberia in the same way as political campaigns.
She was speaking on Monday during the official launch of this year’s 16 Days of Activism against Gender-based Violence at the Antoinette Tubman Stadium, following a march through the principal streets of Monrovia.
The campaign aims to sensitize society on gender violence, including rape that requires everybody, irrespective of status and background, to join efforts geared towards minimizing, if not ending, all forms of violence against women, girls and boys.
« We must now begin to shift the pattern from advocacy to accountability and remind ourselves that now is the time for action, the time to demand and ensure full accountability for violence and for all institutions to live up to their commitment to human rights of women, girls and boys that will prevent any roll backs, » she said.
This year’s 16 Days of Activism is being commemorated under a global theme: « End Gender-based Violence in the World of Work, » and the national theme, « End Gender-based Violence in Work Places, Schools and Communities: Take Action, Report It and Promote a Liberia free of Violence. »
The local theme focuses on heightening efforts that will lead to the abolition of all forms of violence against women and girls at various workplaces with the hashtag #Blue, which crusades that everyone should be « blue » or outraged about gender violence and therefore explore means to stop the menace.
The Ministry of Gender and its local and international partners are validating collective commitment as an exemplar for the many voices of under-privileged women and girls who continue to suffer abuses and other shades of violence across the national landscape, said Minster Tarr.
The goal of the Gender Ministry, she mentioned, is to continue to target institutions in which gender-based violence occurs, and push for systemic change and accountability.
« Sexual and gender-based violence remains a major threat to the human security of women, boys and girls across Liberia and the world, » the minister stated, adding that « all citizens should continue to remind perpetrators of these dreadful acts of violence that it is a gruesome violation of fundamental human rights and must therefore be resisted in the most passionate terms. »
Moreover, the official admonished the Liberian populace to continue to « break our silence on the role of patriarchal systems that embody unacceptable social practices, judicial systems and policies that are reluctant about proactively responding to abuses against women, girls and boys, thereby deeply undermining their ultimate rights to life and dignity. »
Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) run by Liberian women have been hailed by the gender minister for « their role in discouraging SGBV, » even though she urged them to work harder in tackling the social problem.
She said the CSOs need to always understand that advocacy does not start and stop at demonstrations or protests, but must continue at local levels where they can work with community people to alleviate norms and acts that are counterproductive to peace and justice.
Such ideology truly defines the ‘genuineness’ of advocacy no matter the magnitude of the issues at hand, Madame Tarr emphasized.
LINA DMW/JRC/PTK
