Grand Gedeh County – A women advocacy platform in Zwedru City, Grand Gedeh name and style the Women Platform which was established by the Youth Coalition for Education in Liberia (YOCEL) through the Funding Leadership Opportunities for Women (FLOW) Project with support from OXFAM – Liberia through the Ministry of Netherland.
On July 16, 2019 in Zwedru City, Grand Gedeh County the women platform received a complaint from some of their beneficiaries in the Webbo Quarter indicating that a newly established church Saint Assembly through their doctrine where mandating their children who worship at the church not to attend school and young women should not do anything in their homes but should spend more time at the church from morning to evening daily.
After the women platform got the information they informed the Grand Gedeh Sexual and Gender-Based Taskforce in which they are also a member, the taskforce and the women platform when in the Webbo Quarter community to conduct a preliminary investigation.
During the investigation the women platform realized that the previous information provided by some of their beneficiaries was true, speaking to some of the Saint Assembly Church members anonymously reveals to the investigation team that the pastor of the church told them that was part of the church doctrine and no members of the church should go to school.
Speaking to a team of reporters in Zwedru City, Grand Gedeh County Madam Jesadeh G. Barzon chairperson of the women platform informed reporters that they will engage the County Authority, the Ministry of Gender County Coordinator and the Ministry of Justice through the Liberia National Police to bring an end to such anti-biblical doctrine.
She stressed that gone at those days where man of God will come into communities to bring a doctrine that runs contrary to the word of God, indicating that she is also a Christian and there is no scripture in the bible that stops the children of God for going to school, she also quoted a scripture in the bible that says “due to the lack of wisdom my people perrish.
Madam Barzon in her closing remark call on the media to elevate the conversation on the radio and call on the Saint Assembly Church to desist from such an anti-developmental doctrine, the religious community and well-meaning civil society organizations to join the advocacy to eradicate such church doctrine.
She also said that when you educate a girl child not only her family will benefit but the entire country will benefit and the perception that women belong in the kitchen should stop and the platform will continue to create the awareness and engage religious leaders to change the narrative, women are forceful and can contribute greatly to national development.