By Kruah Thompson
Following President George Manneh Weah’s proclamation, declaring Tuesday, October 11, 2022, as “International Day of the Girl Child”, the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection (MGCSP) has held summit and career events in Monrovia to kick off commemoration of the Day.
The summit and career events making the celebration were launched on Monday, October 10, 2022, at the Monrovia City Hall on 3rd Street Sinkor, under the Global theme “Our time is now”, and the National theme, “Protecting our rights, Brighten our future”, respectively.
However, activities of the commemoration climax today, Tuesday, October 11, at Bentol Administration Building in Fendel, Montserrado county.
This year’s celebration is sponsored by Action Aid, Plan International, UNICEF, UNFPA, ECOWAS, Medice Liberia, Liberia Association of Psychosocial Services, Jungle Water Group, Her Voice Liberia and Mentorship Initiative, respectively.
Acting Deputy Minister and Technical Assistant to the Deputy for Gender Mohammed O. Massalee, described young people in Liberia as change makers.
He said the goal of the Ministry is to ensure that women and girls have access to quality education and basic social services and to obtain such a goal, government has focused on developing a strategy that will reduce the constraints they face in the country.
“We see these challenges as our responsibility and [have] outlined a series of activities to create a conducive environment where they will be able to live freely and network with their colleagues”, Minister Massalee said.
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However, he notes that it is the responsibility of the Gender Ministry to ensure that women of Liberia are all up to the task, and “to do so, we are working closely with the necessary authority to introduce laws that will create an enabling environment for women and girls.”
The deputy minister continued that the main purpose of the celebration is to expose young girls here by making them know they are all up to the task.
Similarly, UNFPA representative at the program revealed that young people are currently denied their rights because of gender perceptions and that for this reason, when a female gets pregnant at an early age, her parents will encourage abortion, which is prohibited under the law of Liberia
“Young people, in Liberia today are denied their basic rights; they don’t have the choice to decide for themselves”, the UNFPA said.
Panelists from various partnering institutions presented projected slides lecture on HIV and AIDS prevention and the negative impact of substance use, Gender Base Violence (prevention and negative impact of substance use), and sharing of experiences from taking a girl campaign, business, and entrepreneurship, how to choose a career pathway, public speaking and important of girls’ education, among other.
Students in attendance lauded the host of the program for the opportunities to learn more impactful life-changing experiences from forum.
According to them, career planning is one of the things that is lacking in schools in the country, and for this reason, most people go to University without even knowing what to do.
Meanwhile, in December 2011, the United Nations General Assembly adopted Resolution 66/170, declaring 11 October 2012 as the inaugural day recognizing the importance of empowering and investing in girls. The day is being celebrated across the world. Editing by Jonathan Browne
