MONRROVIA, LIBERIA – The platform for Dialogue and Peace (P4DP), a Liberian research and peace building organization says inequality and lack of access to education, health and other basic needs are major challenges facing women and girls in Liberia.
The Gender Officer in Charge of P4DP, Deimah McCrownsey said the government and society inability to address these challenges is denying women and girls the basic necessities of life.
Deimah McCrownsey wants an enabling environment for women and girls to make them realize their full potential.
At a special program to mark International Women Day, Deimah McCrownsey reminded students of the Nancy B. Doe Elementary Public School and women of the Lakpazee Community Market of the significant role women have to play in the development of Liberia, and the world at large.
Mrs. McCrownsey spoke Monday, March 9, 2020 during visits at the school and the market in Sinkor, Monrovia in continuation of this year’s International Women’s Day observance.
In remarks, P4DP Executive Director, Jimmy Shilue observed that women and girls continue to face inequality in obtaining education, health and other basic services.
Mr. Shilue added “Our institution will continue to address women inequality and develop strategies to prevent child marriage, teenage pregnancy and sexual and gender based violence as well as the role of marginalized people”.
For this year, the United Nations has the theme International Women’s Day 2020 “I am Generation Equality: Realizing Women’s Rights”.
The P4DP Executive Director stressed that as Liberia celebrates this year’s International Women’s Day, he wants an end to Sexual extortion. This phenomenon occurs when those entrusted with power use it to sexually exploit those dependent on that power.
The UN Women in Liberia has been leveraging the Generation Equality campaign aimed at “bringing together people of every gender, age, ethnicity, race, religion and country”, in a bid to drive actions that will lead to a “gender-equal world we all deserve”.
According to Shilue “Platform for Dialogue and Peace has developed an innovative intervention to contribute to the promotion of gender-sensitive human rights issues aimed at building peaceful and gender equal communities, in which women are empowered to actively participate in critical decision making processes in Liberia”.
Violence against women is a pandemic that has affected Liberia. In the first quarter of 2018, a total of 462 cases of various forms of sexual gender based violence were reported from across Liberia, with the majority of survivors being children,according to P4DP’s findings.
