Female Rights Advocate Wants Girls Speak Out

-On Issues That Affect Them; Calls For Concerted Efforts

By R. Joyclyn Wea

The Program Manager of a civil society organization, Organization for Women and Children (ORWOCH), Miss Musu D. Kamara is urging women and girls in the country to stand up for their rights by speaking out on issues that affect them.

Miss Musu D. Kamara, Program Manager of Organization for Women and Children (ORWOCH)

Miss Kamara spoke over the weekend at program making the 5^th edition of the “Speak out girls speech competition 2018.”

Speaking further, Miss Kamara lamented that women and girls in Liberia are faced with too many challenges, but said they should not allow these challenges become barriers that pull them down.

The event according to organizer is an annual initiative of Youth Exploring Solutions (YES) geared towards facilitating a unique platform that deepens girls understanding about personality, development skills such as self-awareness, self-confidence, self-esteem, problem-solving, persuasive skills and cognitive ability to make informed decisions and smart choices.

According to Miss Kamara, there is an inherent act of human rights violation and abuse girls and women in Liberia are faced with daily and with all the combined efforts to fight this dilemma, it is mostly prevailing.

“In our society, girls are faced with lack of access and about 63% of girls between ages 15 to 25 are illiterate and have a greater chance of being married before age 18 than learning how to read and even when they manage to complete high school of which estimated 14% does; they do so half as literate as their male counterparts.

“With these multiple factors, the fight against girls’ vulnerability and discrimination should be core at our work. We often forget that girls are not helpless victims they are sources of power to prevent harm and also power to transform the society. We must be outraged about the disadvantage that girls still experience with all the power and potential they have and we must find a way to tackle these problems,” she said.

The female rights advocate questioned “how can we tackle the problem? We can by: organizing forums like these that will build girls’ capacity to speak to out, and also build their self-esteem and help them realize the potential and power they have because when those potentials are harnessed, they can challenge the status quo and break through those vulnerability to make Liberia and the world a better place.”

She said besides organizing program, girls should also make it a responsibility to speak out against challenges they are faced with and not compromise their rights for any reason.

“Girls should no longer bury their candle under the bushel because of family background, religion, income disability or the part of society they are found in now is the time to Speak Girls Speak,” she added.

The exuberance female advocate concluded by saying “the Organization for Women and Children is pleased to form part of such endeavor and we will always be open to support programs that promote women and girls.  A big thank you to the Youth Exploring Solution family for the opportunity to be a part of this great endeavor.”

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Remarks By Miss Musu D. Kamara At Youth Exploring Solution Program