Report by Alline Dunbar, [email protected]
Monrovia: UN Women in partnership with the Ministry of Gender and the Women Legislative Caucus on Monday donated several items mainly for women to the National Response Committee headed by Madam Mary Broh.
The organization hopes the items which include sanitary pads, 50-liter buckets with faucets, Clorox, Detergents, Hand Sanitizers, Towels, Soaps, Oils, toothpaste and comb, will help ease the burden of women during the Coronavirus crisis.
Turning over the Items, the UN Women Country Representative, Marie Goreth, congratulated the head of the National Response Team for being nominated by President Weah.
“This is really important for us women because we saw that the president really believed in the capacity and also the knowledge of the women. I also want to congratulate the Minister of Gender for her excellent work,” stated Goreth.
Madam Goreth affirmed that women, girls and children are the pillar groups in the fight against COVID-19.
Said Goreth: “It is very key because the government through the Ministry of Gender recognizes that women, girls and children have specific needs during times of crisis. But they are also part of response, particularly in the community, we know that women are in front of everything and we know that we can count on them when you want to do community awareness on how to prevent COVID-19.”
Part of the donation will go toward the 14 Military Hospital while and the other part include additional materials for women organizations and groups including pregnant women.
In her welcome remarks, Madame Broh thanked all the partners especially UN women on behalf of the government of Liberia ‘for the work you do for women and girls. “This in my mind spells that you care about the girl child and women. For what I see so far, we say thank you,” Madam Broh asserted.
Also speaking, Margibi County District No. 3 Representative, Evelyn Attoh thanked UN Women for the initiative and lamented that she too saw that women were in need of essential items apart from food.
“Two weeks ago, I was in my district and I thought it wise that it wasn’t only necessary to give out food; what about the women, just in case they are taken or showing some signs of the COVID-19 and they are taken to the 14 Military Hospital, what happens behind closed doors that we don’t know,” Rep Attoh explained.
Rep. Attoh, representing the women Legislative caucus said that she was excited about the initiative, especially for the sanitary pads that will be given to women and health care workers at the facility because of COVID-19.
“This will ensure that each and every woman that will fall sick and go there, should be able to protect herself because menstruation is not a choice; it is something that we all have to experience until we can reach our menopause,” she said.
Minister of Gender, Willimetta Saydee Tarr, thanked the UN Women for staying true to its promise during the initial stage of the consultation.
“You started this give-away already when we just started the fight and we had the training at the Ministry and you did promise that you were going to come back with the rest of things so we are very happy to be at this stage,” said Minister Tarr.
The donated items will be distributed by the COVID-19 National Response to the targeted groups along with their heads for the purpose of accountability and transparency, said the minister.
Institutions earmarked for the donated items include, the National Peace Hut Women of Liberia, National Rural Women Structure of Liberia, Destined Kids Assistance Program, THINK Safe Home Center, Association of Disabled Females International and the Group of 77.
Others are: WAS-Vulnerable Young Women Structure, Wise Women, Women Living with HIV and AIDS, Apostolic Alliance Mission, 14th Military Center and the Ministry of Health-Family Health Division-Maternity center.