The NEWS (Monrovia)
C Emmanuel Johnson
19 February 2008
Monrovia — As part of its gender based violence program, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) has completed the training of 150 women from various communities in Monrovia to report on Gender Based Violence (GBV) cases.
The five months training program brought together women from various communities including: Slipway, West Point, ELWA and Chocolate City, Bardnesville, among others.
Speaking at the first Case Management graduation of the Women Action Group, Assistant Gender and Development Minister for Research and Technical Affairs Patricia Kamara said despite the passage of the Rape Bill, rape cases were still alarming in Liberia.
She commended IRC for embarking on the training of women to increase awareness on gender based violence in their respective communities.
She then called on IRC to extend the program to the leeward counties where, she believes, the rate of gender based violence is prevalent.
Minister Kamara also urged the graduates to protect victims of GBV by exhibiting a high level of confidentiality.
She encouraged them to report all cases without compromise because, according to her, GBV was endemic and has the propensity to destroy the womanhood.
She cautioned them to be robust in their reportage as it would serve as deterrent for perpetrators and could also help to reduce violence against women.
Giving an overview of the Women Action Group Case Management Training Program, Ms. Kebbeh Kwekwe said the training was intended to sharpen the skills of participants on how to report relevant information, counsel clients and make use of the referral pathway at the community level.
She said the women were trained and also versed in the guiding principles used in supporting survivors of GBV.
She noted that the guiding principles are centered on the importance of confidentiality, safety, security and respect for client's rights and wishes, and being non-judgmental.
Ms. Kwekwe said the IRC is optimistic that with the involvement of more trained women, acts of violence against women in Liberia would be reduced.
The graduation ceremony was characterized by drama performances depicting violence against women by their male counterparts.
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