Monrovia – Liberia’s lines Ministries and agencies have agreed to work together as a united force to end harmful human rights practices in Liberia as the country struggle to promote the rights of humans.
Report by Edwin G. Genoway, Jr., [email protected]
Representatives from various government Ministries and Agencies at a one-day workshop in Monrovia promised to work together at the offices in curbing or preventing the acts that promote harmful human rights practices in Liberia.
Government Ministries and Agencies that attended the workshop include the Ministries of Internal Affairs, Justice, Gender, Children and Social protection among others.
The participants at the workshop agreed to collaborate in tacking abuse of human rights across the country.
Amongst the harmful practices, the representatives of these ministries and agencies identified harmful traditional practices including trial by ordeal is popularly known in Liberia as (Sassaywood) and early child marriages.
The One Day Working Session was held under the theme “Accountability: Strengthening Rule of Law and accountability for human rights violations’ One Day Technical Working Sessions with line Ministries”.
Representatives from the line ministries, however, agreed that the Ministry of Internal Affairs should take the lead to monitor and stop the practice of trial by ordeal.
The participants also want traditional leaders of Liberia to get involved in stopping the practice.
Education through awareness, are amongst some of the measures the line ministries and agencies have agreed to take in dealing with these human rights issues.
They also want the Ministry of Justice to prosecute people involved in the practice of early child marriages around the country.
A representative from the Ministry of Justice indicated that the Ministry is willing to prosecute people involved in such practice, but many people are not willing to come forward to assist the Ministry with the needed evidence that will pave the way for successful prosecution.
Another representative from the Ministry of Internal Affairs also promised that the Ministry is not in support of the practice of Trial by Ordeal.
The MIA representative said while it is true that those practices were widespread years ago and people believed in it, once the Supreme Court has declared it as illegal, there is no one above the law.
“No one is above the law, we are not giving permit again. We only give a permit to herbalist and we do not know whether herbalist are still doing Sassaywood”, the MIA representative said.
The MIA representative added that since 2008, the Ministry abolished the practice of giving permit to traditional doctors to practice trial by ordeal, noting that the Ministry is only giving permit to traditional leaders who heal illness using traditional herbs.
Participants also charged the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social protection to take the lead in reaching out to communities to gather informing on child marriages to bring it to the attention of the Ministry of Justice.
Representatives of Civil Society organizations also committed to continuing to vigorous monitor on issues of bordering on the abuse of human rights.
In opening remarks before the start of the Working Session, Roosevelt Jayjay, of the Office of the UN Commission for Human Rights told the participants that the Working Session is meant to look at human rights issues in Liberia
He said through discussions such as the Working Session, actors will find a way of dealing with human rights issues.
Mr. Jayjay said the Office of the UN Commission on Human Rights is meant to replace the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) Human Rights Office, established to ensure the sustaining some of the gains made by UNMIL on issues of human rights.
The Office of the UN Human Rights Commission, Jayjay said have been holding meetings with key actors including Chief Justice Francis S. Korkpor, public defenders and other judicial and human rights actors looking at the challenges facing human rights in the country.
Says Jayjay “this is just the beginning of the engagement process, we have lots more to do on issues of human rights and we will be looking forward to cordial collaboration”.
He said other Working Sessions will be held with senior officials of security agencies, members of the National Legislature and other state actors, all bordering on issues of human rights.