-Calls For Robust Efforts In Ensuring That SGBV Is Eliminated In All Forms In Liberia
Medica Liberia, an international nongovernmental organization with support from the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) has concluded a three day capacity building training workshop for 25 stakeholders on sexual Gender Based Violence (SGBV) in Tappita City, Nimba County.
The three day training workshop which kicked off on Monday, November 18, 219, ended on Wednesday November 21, 2019. The training took place at the AWANGA offices in Tappita City under the theme ‘capacity building and coordination of National Institutions (justice and security sectors) and civil society organizations; through its spotlight initiative project named and styled’ UNDP spotlight Initiative’.
Speaking to our contributor at the opening of the training ,Medical Liberia focal person, Madam Martha Ballah said the aim of the workshop is to improve the technical capacity of civil society organizations and security sectors through which the ‘Spotlight Initiative’ is being implemented in Liberia.
She said the Spotlight Initiative project is an initiative of UN and EU aimed at eliminating all forms of violence against women and girls. It is currently being implemented in five counties including Nimba.
In doing so, Medica Liberia provides psychosocial counseling, health support and legal aid for women and girls who suffered domestic violence and other forms of abuse in their various communities.
Medica Liberia currently works with a local non-governmental organization called Aiding Disadvantaged Women and Girls, otherwise known as ADWANGA in Tappita.
Day one of the workshop mainly highlighted the different pillars of the spotlight initiative, gender based violence and its forms amongst many topics.
Medica Liberia focuses on pillar two of the UN and EU’s spotlight initiative project which focuses on institutional strengthening through regular training workshops like the one in Tappita.
She called on all gender based actors to ensure that gender and sexual based violence against women and girls are eliminated, first starting with themselves and their homes because according to her, if one can change himself or herself, then he or she can also change others.
The workshop brought together all stakeholders including immigration officers, nurses, city solicitors, journalists, magistrates, youth heads, and women groups amongst other civil society organizations.
Speaking to our contributor on day two of the workshop, some of the participants said the workshop is serving as an eye opener when it comes to dealing with SGBV because so many cases have overwhelmed their offices and they don’t know how to deal with them.
” I have learned lots of things about gender based violence because these are issues we can handle at the police station. Now for example, a woman can bring complaint that my man beat me and when we get the man the man can say I have power over the woman because that’s my property”. So, I have right to beat the woman. Now we have learned that it is not good to beat on women when it comes to gender. We have learned lots of things when it comes to gender. Yes” this workshop is really good because I learned lots of things about gender and the definition and what the society thinks about gender’. Sergeant James Dweh, women and children protection section of the Tappita Police detail told our contributor at the workshop. Contributed by Fred Yeegbeh in Lower Nimba County
Comments are closed.