AFELL, LWF sign MOU

The Association of Female Lawyers in Liberia or AFELL, and the Liberia Women Forum have signed a memorandum of understanding to protect Liberian girls from abuses.

The purpose of the MOU is to set forth the understandings and intention of the parties with regard to some areas of collaboration particularly in advocating for justice and protection of the girl child which are shared and complementary goals.
Speaking in Monrovia Wednesday, 17 February at the signing program, the President of the LWF, Gurly T. Gibson, said the goal is to give women in Liberia a voice to achieve their full potential which will enable them to get involve in policy making.
Ms Gibson said the Forum has initiated some projects to advance the life of girls beginning with taking them from the streets into the classroom to acquire education.
She reminded her colleagues that when they growing up, somebody helped them her to achieve their dreams so it was time to help their young sisters coming after them to improve their lives.
Ms Gibson said the Forum is also involved in adult literacy program for market women, adding the market building should not be the last stop in their lives.
The LWF, she said, is touring the various political subdivisions to talk with women and sample their views on what policies government should carve to enhance their lives as well as engage politicians on the plight of women.
The Liberia Women Forum is a non-profit organization that was established in 2005 in Pennsylvania, the United States of America to empower Liberian women to boost their God-given capacities so that they can influence public policy decision making that affects their daily lives.
According to the 1st Vice President of the Association of Female Lawyers of Liberia, Atty. Vivian D. Neal, there are numerous issues confronting the rights of women in the country such as domestic violence, persistent no-support, and marital problems, among others.
She said persistent no-support for women is becoming alarming and called on men or husbands who deliberately refused to support their children, to take up their responsibilities.
Attorney Neal observed that regrettably, most of those men, who refused to support their children, are gainfully employed, adding that AFELL believes in networking and collaborating with groups that are desirous of advocating for women’s rights, because it enables the association to form stronger alliance to deal with issues confronting the rights of the girl’s child, women and girls.