President Weah Given 3Weeks Deadline

-To Meet Anti-Rape Protesters Concerns

By R. Joyclyn Wea:j.wea@newrepublicliberia.com

The organizers of the just ended nationwide match for justice against sexual and gender based violence has threatened to get back in the streets to demand justice for survivors if President George Weah failed to take concrete steps to address their plight.

The group under the banner Affiliation of Women and Child Rights Activists wants the President and Feminist-In-Chief to take deliberate and visible approach to address their concerns; or else they are going to mobilize social forces to return to the streets within the next three weeks.

Some of their concerns are: Declare rape a national emergency to enforce proactive investigation into rape related cases across Liberia, Diversify Criminal Court E to address the prevalence of sexual violence and ensure victims have access sensitive justice, Ensure the amendment of the Domestic Violence Act to emphasize the gross violation of FGM across Liberia and ensure that such practice is criminalized and punishable, That safe homes are built across Liberia for victims of sexual abuse and that DNA Labs are equipped with specialized technicians and Design approaches and actions that seek to identify the root cause of increasing sexual violence against women and children in Liberia.

Reading the statement on behalf of the group, NatalynOmellBeh mentioned that if the Weah’s led government does not take concrete steps to end this rape pandemic, they would be forced to return to the streets to demand solution saying “We need solutions now and there is no joke about this.”

Beh indicated “We don’t want trouble, it is not a source of joy for us to leave our schools, works and businesses to stand in the streets to demand answers to this rape pandemic.”

Subsequently; they call on the Legislature to deliver on their petition, beginning with public hearing on rape and SGBV to increasing budgetary allotment for the Ministry of Health and the Liberia National Police to empower these structures to combat the scourge of rape.

Similarly; the group call on international and regional partners to pressure the government to act as the rape pandemic is killing them and they cannot allow this to continue

Accordingly; the group promised to also share its definitive plan for ending rape in Liberia in the next few weeks, a plan that will show what role it would play in ending this crisis.

It can be recalled, last Wednesday, August 26, 2020, group of Liberian including rights advocates, women, children and young girls became a three day match for justice in diverse part of Liberia’s fifteen counties to call government attention to the growing wave of rape and SGBV related issues in the country.

The third day of the match for justice turned bloody as protesters were chase into communities in the Sinkor area after their alleged refusal to vacate the protest scene by officer of the joint security.