By Joseph Tumbey, josephtumbey@gmail.com (+231) 777-941-209
IPNEWS – Kakata: Commerce & Industry Minister Mawine G. Diggs has called for concrete effort to end sexual and gender-based violence against women, girls, and marginalized groups.
Serving as the keynote speaker on the official launch of the 16 Days of Activism against gender-based violence Thursday, November 25, in Kakata, Magibi County, Min. Diggs said it’s high time Liberia went beyond workshops, conferences, power-point presentations, email exchanges and speeches but take firm and concrete approach to eliminate all forms of gender violence across Liberia.
Minister Diggs calls on the Sexual and Gender-based Violence Unit of the Ministry of Justice to remain vocal in the fight against SGBV in Liberia and further encouraged a closer collaboration among them.
According to her, as a nation with historical leads on many fronts, they cannot waiver or lag behind in the fights, but provide efforts as they have always stood as an example for many to follow.
She urged the Sexual and Gender-based Violence Unit of the Ministry of Justice, the Women and Children Protection Unit of the Liberia National Police, other State Security institutions, and the Ministry of Gender, Children & Social Protection to collectively work to protect, support, advocate and assist all citizens within the borders landscape of the country to be free from gender violence.
“I want to encourage all the stakeholders in this sector, to continue the good work and do more with education, awareness and outreach in our rural and leeward counties where SGBV remains prevalent,” Commerce and Industry Minister Mawine G. Diggs indicated.
Even though this year 16 Days of Activism against SGBV is being globally observed under the theme, “End Violence Against Women Now,” Liberia is commemorating it under the theme: “Enough Is Enough! Let’s Act Now to End Violence Against Women, Girls, Children and Other Marginalized Groups.”
Meanwhile, the Acting Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection, Mr. Hassan Kanneh, is calling the attention of the citizenry to join the campaign and engage every sector to ensure that the inhumane act of violence come to an end now.
“I urge us all today to not shelter those who perpetrate violence against children and women. We must work together to ensure that women and girls are given equal opportunities as well as boys to go to school and realize their full potential,” he noted.
Minister Kanneh further warned that there should be no impunity, condoning, tolerating and compromises or excuses in the fight against violence against women and children.
He noted that everyone has their own way to contribute through advocacy, creating of opportunities for women and girls’ education by using different strategies to help identify discrimination, and setting an example for other young women whose dreams also deserve to come true.
Acting Minister Kanneh also called for a consolidated effort to tackle the problem, highlighting that gender-based violence is still a major threat to the security of women, girls, and boys across Liberia. “It is not inevitable; it can and must be prevented,” he concluded.
Also speaking, UN Resident Coordinator Niels Scott applauded the Government and the people of Liberia, civil society organizations, the media, private sector and other key stakeholders for amplifying their voices and taking appropriate actions in ensuring the protection of women and girls, boys and men from the various forms of violence that continue to creep in our society unabated.
Mr. Scott acknowledged that while several gains have been made in ending violence against women and girls in Liberia, a lot more still needs to be done.
“There is a need to strengthen primary prevention efforts that are transformative in nature and redefine power relations that have often put women and girls in a vulnerable situation.”
