Monrovia – Amid reports of widespread violence meted against children in Liberia, the Defense for Children International- Liberia (DCI-Liberia) has announced a campaign that seeks to provide free legal services for children and victims of human rights abuses.
Report by Gerald C. Koinyeneh, [email protected]
According to the Executive Director of DCI-Liberia, Foday Karwah, disadvantaged people such as people with disabilities, women and the elderly will benefit.
He said the US$69,948.00 is being provided by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and will be implemented in three counties – Bomi, Grand Cape Mount and Montserrado over the period of eight months.
Said Forday Karwah: “We intend to work with the Liberia Justice system to enhance child justice framework through training, empowering on international human rights standard in dealing with child offenders at detention center, judicial proceedings, victims of abuses, etc. from police, judicial personnel and local community-based structures in order to respond to juvenile justice.”
Karwah said in Liberia, children are languishing in prisons with deplorable conditions owing to lack of legal representation; while girls and young women who are victims of sexual violence are being treated as perpetrators instead of victims.
According to him, children who are victims of exploitation, abuse and violence are not receiving reparation.
The DCI-Liberia boss, speaking further asserted that children have rights and must be able to use and trust the legal and justice systems for their protection and enforcement of their rights.
He stated that many children face major challenges in accessing justice, and to help address the problem, his organization will embark on initiatives aimed at holding the state party accountable for child rights violations.
It will also reach out to the most vulnerable children, such as children in detention, institutions and children who are victims of violence, exploitation and abuse and undocumented children.
To make the project sustainable, he said DCI-Liberia will build on existing initiatives aimed at improving partnership with community-based groups, government and civil society actors involved with juvenile justice.
For the successful implementation of the project, the DCI-Liberia boss revealed that his institution will hire three lawyers and four case workers in Bomi, Grand Cape Mount and Montserrado Counties to provide legal services to their clients and establish three social-legal defense centers in the three counties.