The Women NGO Secretariat of Liberia (WONGOSOL) regrets wave of killings of women and girls across Liberia without fair judicial trial and justice for survivors and victims.
WONGOSOL’s statement comes amidst economic and social strides in Liberia, where women and girls still face significant acts of violence and ritualistic killings.
The group notes there is a deeply entrenched structural problem, skills disparities and harmful practices that have kept gender inequality unacceptably high for qualified Liberian women.
It says the low representation of women in leadership positions, discriminating governance concerns and policy uncertainty, have weighed on confidence and growth of the judicial system which is a human rights issue today in the country.
The statement issued Thursday, March 31, 2022, notes that it is in line with its institutional mandate to protect and promote the rights of women and girls as well as advocate for equal and affordable access to justice and the promotion of transparency and accountability, WONGOSOL is concerned by the ungainly self-denial of Liberian women and girls constitutional rights to “Life” that have been shifted to alleged perpetrators protection over a period, which its finds as unlawful and a violation of human rights.
“The reality is, a discrepancy shows a clear inequity of how the rights of women and girls as well children are violated every day in Liberia”, the group continues.
It specifically references cases of mysterious deaths across the country, including the late Princess Cooper and a two years old baby raped to death that resulted in the death of a woman, who caught the perpetrator in the act.
WONGOSOL names other victims as Blessing Moulton, Baby Girl Brent of Kakata Margibi, Eliza Roberts in Maryland County, Madam Hawa of Grand Capemount County, Odell Sherman of Montserrado, Ma Nowah in Johnsonville, and Gifty Asmah Lama, among many other cases of RAPE and other forms of violence perpetrated against women and children of Liberia.
It recommends the establishment of a process of accountability to conduct prompt and impartial investigations of unusual deaths of Princess Cooper and others as well as to ensure the independence and expertise of the Liberia National Police and the judiciary, for survivors’ access to justice, due process and fair trial that guarantees witness protection.
The women group also wants government to ensure that all alleged perpetrators of gross human rights violations are prosecuted and, if found guilty, convicted and punished in accordance with the gravity of the acts committed, regardless of their status or any domestic legislation on immunities.
WONGOSOL further calls on government to take all necessary measures to ensure protection of everyone against any violence, threats, retaliation, adverse discrimination, pressure or any other arbitrary action as a consequence of his or her legitimate exercise of rights referred to in the UN Declaration. Statement
