Monrovia — Civil Society Organizations from the Mano River Region, specifically Liberia and Sierra Leone, reaffirm their commitment to combating sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV).
They reaffirmed this commitment recently at a three-day consultative dialogue on SGBV held in Monrovia under the Theme "Concerted Actions for Zero Tolerance Against SGBV in the Mano River Region."
The dialogue was aimed at developing a unified list of demands from the Feminist Alliance to tighten the fight against Sexual Gender-Based Violence in the Mano River region,
"This initiative, involving the two countries, aims to eradicate the pervasive culture of violence affecting women and girls across the region," says Madam Kou Amelia Dahn, Program Coordinator for Rising Youth Mentorship Initiative.
Madam Dahn says the gathering was intended to develop joint advocacy messages based on budget analysis outcomes to be rolled out at the national level.
Speaking with reporters at the end of the workshop on Friday, July 12, 2024, Fenny Taylor-Diggs, Project Manager for the BMZ project at Medica Liberia, also notes that the gathering was intended to collaborate efforts in the fight against sexual gender-based violence in the region.
Madam Diggs indicates that the project is to ensure that the rights, needs, and perspectives of women and girls affected by SGBV are incorporated into societal, institutional, and political efforts to prevent and respond to SGBV at national and regional levels.
According to her, the comprehensive approach aims to reduce the tolerance for SGBV and enhance survivor-centered, stress, and trauma-sensitive support.
Fenny Taylor-Diggs adds that Liberia and Sierra Leone are collaborating on the project due to their historical similarities ranging from war and cases of Sexual Gender Based Violence and believe that the Countries' concerted efforts will help reduce SGBV in the region.
"Our intent is to ensure that there is a massive reduction in the cases of SGBV in the region if not a total end; that's why we have come together to derive the different demands in tackling SGBV with aligning messages," Madam Taylor-Diggs emphasizes.
She says that with strength in united voices, the CSOs believe that their collaboration will bring an end to sexual Gender-Based Violence in the region. She asserts that the project came about to enhance the fight against SGBV in the Mano River Region with support from Medica Mondiale, a German humanitarian organization.
The gender advocate explains that, unlike in the past, the Ministry of Gender, Children, and Social Protection's budget has increased by Four Million United States Dollars (US$4m), with the hope that such an increase will impact the fight against SGBV.
For her part, Madam Hannah Fatmata Yambasu, Executive Director of Women Against Violence and Exploitation in Society from Sierra Leone notes that for so long there have been increase in reported cases of Sexual Gender Based Violence in the Mano River Region that requires a concerted action to be curtailed.
According to her, the gathering will provide a roadmap through the budget analysis as to how advocates of Sexual Gender Based Violence engaged governments and other stakeholders in the region to tackle the menace.
She adds that the project will also extend its advocacy to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the regional organization in West Africa.
Madam Yambasu continues that for several years, the region has suffered a dramatic increase in cases of Sexual Gender Based Violence, something she believes requires the intervention of ECOWAS and other sub-regional organizations to help complement the efforts of Civil Society Organizations in the MRU.
She reveals that in 2012, Sierra Leone allocated twelve percent of its budget to the Gender Ministry, but she adds that it has since dropped to three percent.
Madam Yambasu laments that a decrease in the budget for the Gender Ministry, which is responsible for fighting SGBV in Sierra Leone, has impeded the fight over the years.
The training brought together 22 participants from all Six BMZ implementing partner organizations from the two neighboring countries.
The joint efforts to combat sexual and gender-based violence in the Mano River Region reflect a growing recognition of the need for collaborative approaches to tackling deeply entrenched issues. By fostering solidarity and commitment among all stakeholders, the region moves closer to achieving a society where everyone can live free from violence and discrimination. Continued vigilance and cooperation will be crucial in realizing this vision.
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The Mano River Region has experienced significant political instability and conflict, which have exacerbated vulnerabilities to SGBV. Women and girls are disproportionately affected, facing not only physical violence but also societal stigmatization and economic disenfranchisement.
Recognizing these challenges, various stakeholders have forged a unified response. Organizations involved in the joint effort include Rising Youth Mentorship Initiative (RYMI), Medica Liberia (mL), Aiding Disadvantaged and Traumatized Women and Girls (ADWANGA), Women Against Violence and Exploitation in Society (WAVES), Girl2Girl Empowerment Movement (G2G) and Choices and Voices Foundation for Women and Girls (CVF).
The Mano River Region, comprising Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea, and Côte d'Ivoire, has struggled for long with the pervasive issue of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV). This violence, deeply rooted in cultural, economic, and political factors, has had devastating impacts on communities and hindered development.
In recent years, regional governments, civil society organizations, and international partners have intensified collaborative efforts to combat this pressing issue.
