Monrovia, Oct. 1 (The NEWS) - Source UNHCR: The Head of the UN Refugee Agency in Liberia, Renata Dubini recently addressed the launch of Liberia's first-ever Peace, Human Rights and Citizenship Education at the Education Ministry in Monrovia, a release said.

Dubini said the initiative was critical to the consolidation and fostering of peace-building especially in post-conflict Liberia.

She observed that communities were increasingly becoming vulnerable to rape, child abuse as well as mob and domestic violence as a result of the destruction of the social fabric and value system of the country.

"Mainstreaming peace, human rights and citizenship education in the national curriculum for primary and secondary schools provides a unique opportunity to sustain peace and democratic governance in Liberia. The expressed commitment will promote common understanding among primary and secondary school students of the basic principles of peace, human rights and good citizenship", said the UNHCR Representative.

According to the release, since January 2006, UNHCR, UNESCO, UNMIL and UNDP have supported the Ministry of Education to introduce Peace, Human Rights and Citizenship Education (PHCE) in the education system of Liberia.

The goal is said to be intended to ensure that 4,500 teachers at the classroom level and instructional supervisors were adequately prepared to handle the subject to ensure maximum impact.

According to Dubini, with the launch of the programme, Liberian students will have the opportunity to learn about peace, understand the context of post-conflict transition through integration of knowledge, skills, values and attitudes associated with the promotion of respect for human rights principles, gender equity, active citizenship, democratic participation and peaceful co-existence.

UNHCR is said to have supported the Ministry of Education in the printing of 10,000 copies of the Peace Education activity book, training of 144 teachers in the 15 counties, provision of materials such as generators, computers and public address systems in two out of three resource centers. UNHCR is also part of the Ministry's Steering Committee for Peace Education since 2006.

Meanwhile, the release said one of three Peace Education Resource Centers launched today was named in honor of the former UNHCR Representative Mengesha Kebede in recognition of the role he played in supporting this initiative while serving in Liberia.