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(Monrovia, Liberia, January 31, 2020) The Interministerial Working Group on Sexual Gender Violence (ITSGBV), which is mandated to engage all stakeholders in SGBV and direct prevention and response programs to end Sexual Gender Violence for 2022, has held its preliminary meeting of the second quarter, the first meeting of 2021. This meeting was to review the work done and the challenges faced during the first quarter implementations of the Roadmap against SGBV 2020 -2022.
The ITSGBV meeting and subsequent approval of the full first quarter progress report (September-December 2020) further demonstrates the government’s continued commitment to address the threat of rape and domestic violence imposed primarily against women and girls. The working group members also used the time to discuss the action plan for the next quarter.
In September 2020, the Government of Liberia and Partners developed and approved a Roadmap Against Sexual and Gender-Based Violence 2020-2022.
The roadmap against SGBV aims to address the scourge of rape and other forms of sexual and gender-based violence due to the increased awareness of rape cases during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Roadmap aims to combat existential problems that affect SGBV prevention and response services, thus creating a safe and comprehensive prevention and response program for survivors of SGBV. Additionally, the Roadmap aims to reduce the prevalence of SGBV, especially rape, against women, girls and boys by driving change and fostering accountability among duty bearers when addressing policies, systems and SGBV mechanisms to mitigate the risks of SGBV, especially violence against women and girls within the context of the guarantees of the Pro-Poor Agenda for Prosperity and Development
According to the Ministry of Gender, the full report for the first quarter will be released to the public momentarily.
The January meeting held at the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection attended: Mr. Samuel D. Tweah – Minister of Finance and Development Planning, Dr. Wilhelmina Jallah – Minister of Health, Prof. D. Ansu Sonii – Minister of Education, Cllr. Charles Gibson, Minister of Labor, and William E. Saydee-Tarr, Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection. Representatives from the Ministries of Justice, Internal Affairs, Youth and Sports and the Corporation of the City of Monrovia also attended, along with the relevant technicians.
The Interministerial Anti-SGBV Working Group is made up of the Ministries of Gender, Children and Social Protection, Justice, Internal Affairs, Health, Finance and Development Planning, Information, Cultural Affairs and Tourism, Youth and Sports, Labor / Working Group of TIP, Education and the Corporation of the City of Monrovia.
