Monrovia – A group under the banner ‘We Are Unprotected’ says the More Than Me alleged rape saga should highlight the critical need for improving the justice system and strengthen the legal framework to protect Liberian women and girls from all form of violations.
Report by J. H. Webster Clayeh (00231770745986)[email protected]
We Are Unprotected campaign began as a response to the “Unprotected” report released by ProPublica on Thursday, October 11, 2018, which detailed the rape and horrific sexual abuse that occurred at a school run by the charity.
Speaking to journalists, a member of the group Coroline Bowah Brown says prior to the More Than me scandal; there have been several issues of violence against women and girls that have been swept under the carpet.
However, Madam Brown says they are yet to see justice for those young women that have been sexually abused.
“It is therefore important that the Liberian Government use their power (of the state, constitution and laws) as an opportunity to invest and enforce a non-negotiable position on women rights and a commitment to advancing gender equality in Liberia,” she said.
Madam Brown added: “We remain resolute in our calls for justice and an end to Sexual and other forms of gender-based violence in Liberia.”
After the release of the Propublica Report, the We are Unprotected campaign organized a protest on October 18, 2018, popularly known as Black Thursday.
During the protest, the group delivered their position statement to Vice President, Madam Jewel Howard Taylor; including the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection along with the UN Country Team – in particular UNDP.
Despite delivering the six-count petition, Madam Brown says their statement, which outlined specific demands never included the call for the closure of the More Than Me Academy.
“We will therefore like to state, again, today to the Liberian government, the Community of West Point, the families of students of More Than Me, and general public, at no point have we ever called for the closure of the school,” Brown said.
Also, the We Are Unprotected campaign is set to begin the 16 days of activism from November 26 to December 10, 2018.
It is a global campaign dedicated to ending gender-based violence with a long history of women rights organizing to mobilize action to recognize gender-based violence as a human rights issue.
The 16 Days of Activism against Gender Violence Campaign symbolically links November 25th International Day Against Violence Against Women and December 10th International Human Rights Day.
“Given the prevailing SGBV in the country, we believe the 16 days presents a strategic platform for the campaign to advance call for the end to SGBV generally in Liberia,” she said.
According to her, the launch will be held on November 26, 2018 at the Fish Market, Old Road Junction.
Madam Brown added: “Fish Market represents a historical symbol of Liberian women collective action for peace in the country. This is an organized sit in to elevate the critical issue of SGBV and women rights in Liberia. Women Rights are human rights. It is not a donor issue. It is our fundamental human right.”