WFP launches campaign to stop GBV

The World Food Program Gender Focal Person in Liberia launches a call for more support to end gender based violence against women and girls in Liberia and the world at large.

Speaking at a forum on awareness against all forms of violence directed against women in Gbawanken, Karluway District #3, Maryland County, southeast Liberia Mrs. Kabeh Enders says it is time for every entity to commit to addressing GBV to protect women and girls.
She says violence against women and girls is one of the widely spread human rights violations that denigrate dignity of women and girls around the world.

The WFP Gender Focal Person names psychological effects that are associated with some of the consequences women and girls face as victims of gender based violence in the society.

She laments that violence against women and girls places fear in them and also disconnects them from the environment and the society.Mrs. Enders calls for a concerted effort to ensure protection for women and girls, stressing that there can be no gender equality between men and women if the latter were experiencing gender based violence on a large scale globally.

She discloses that all actors in Liberia and partners are working to reform laws on gender based violence, adding that the exercise is intended to minimize abuse against women and girls.

Karluway District #2 Education Officer, Jimmy G. Nah on behalf of the county school system lauds WFP and the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection for leading the fight against GBV.

He says the campaign introduced in schools by WFP and her partners, including school feeding program has contributed greatly to changes as regards respect for the rights of female students, which encourages them to remain in school.

Mr. Nah notes that the school feeding program and other mechanisms by WFP have increased enrollment among female students for academic 2017/2018.

He calls on all entities involved in the fight against gender based violence to join WFP and the Gender Ministry to encourage women and girls compete with their male counterparts as a means of enabling them to get on par with the opposite sex in the society.

Nah stresses that if girls are given equal opportunities like their male counterparts at home, school, and work place, it has propensity to place them at the verge of improving society and contributing greatly to development.

The occasion was graced by students from Manolu, Gbanwanken, and Tumbaken public schools, respectively in Karluway. County Gender Coordinator Condeh Jarbo Keita on behalf of the Government of Liberia, commend WFP for buttressing the ministry’s fight against gender base violence in Maryland and Liberia generally.

Madam Keita however, appeals for more support to keep on the fight across the country.

George K. Momo/ Maryland-Editing by Jonathan Browne