The Women NGOs Secretariat of Liberia (WONGOSOL) is calling for increased government funding and stronger enforcement of laws to improve the fight against gender-based violence (GBV) and better protect women and girls across Liberia.
The organization made the call during an appearance on Legal Hour on OK FM 99.5, where its Executive Director, Esther S. Davis Yango, joined Program Manager Munah Kieh Kelly and Membership Coordinator Jeneba McGill Vessellie to discuss the challenges surrounding violence against women and girls.
The discussion examined Liberia’s existing legal protections, including provisions under the Constitution and national laws, as well as international and regional commitments such as the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), the Maputo Protocol and United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325.
WONGOSOL said Liberia has made progress in developing laws and policies to protect women and girls, but stressed that the effectiveness of those measures depends on proper implementation.
The organization identified weak enforcement, delays in the justice system, limited services for survivors, fear of reporting abuse, harmful social practices and poor coordination among institutions as some of the major challenges affecting the national response to GBV.
Yango and her colleagues emphasized that government must provide adequate and sustained funding if Liberia is to effectively prevent and respond to gender-based violence.
They said additional resources are needed to strengthen shelters and referral services, support investigations and prosecutions, and expand access to medical, psychosocial and legal assistance for survivors.
WONGOSOL also called for greater investment in community education and prevention programs to help address attitudes and practices that contribute to violence against women and girls.
The organization stressed that addressing GBV cannot be left to women’s groups alone.
It said government agencies, families, traditional and community leaders, schools, religious institutions, the media, civil society organizations, men, boys and individual citizens all have a role to play in preventing violence and protecting survivors.
WONGOSOL is therefore urging the government to increase budgetary allocations for GBV prevention and response, strengthen enforcement of existing laws, improve coordination among relevant institutions and ensure that perpetrators are held accountable.
The organization also wants greater investment in services that put the needs, safety and dignity of survivors at the center of the response.
WONGOSOL said it will continue working with government, communities, civil society organizations and development partners to promote the rights and safety of women and girls throughout Liberia.
The organization maintained that protecting women and girls is a shared responsibility and an important part of Liberia’s human rights, justice and development agenda.
