Monrovia – The Deputy Minister for Administration and Public Safety at the Ministry of Justice, Wheatonia Barnes said the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has taken the lead in integrating national security apparatus that embraces the diversity of the Liberian people.
Minister Barnes made the assertion when she proxy for the Minister of Justice, Cllr. Frederick Cherue at the launch of a one-day conference of women in security sector held at the Conference Room of the Ministry Of Foreign Affairs on December 14, 2017.
According to a release form the Gender in Security Sector Taskforce, Minister Barnes also indicated that the MoJ in collaboration with the University of Liberia SSR Think Tank recently launched an Advance Course on Women, Peace and Security Studies for the Gender Focal Points of the security institutions.
Minister Barnes said to allow for the continuous research and production of knowledge in the field, they will endeavor to establish the first Library in Liberia on women, peace and security studies, the GSSNT release said.
“Integrating gender in the security sector reform is necessary to comply with international and regional laws including the convention on the Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security” Minister Barnes reminded the gathering.
In a passionate appeal to put gender and women issues on the front burner, Minister Barnes urged senior leadership and the security sector institutions to effectively promote the right of women to participate in security sector institutions as staff and decision makers.
She also asked that rules against harass-ent and discrimination within the security sector be established, the GSSNT release said.
The conference which brought together key stakeholders in the security sector from across the country is an event jointly organized by the ministries of Justice, Defense and Gender, Children and Social Protection. It was held in collaboration with NSC Secretariat with UNMIL Assessed Funding support.
Essentially the conference helped to promote a dialogue on the need to increase the inclusion of women and their perspectives into the Liberian Security Sector Reform process and to insure the SSR initiatives responds to the needs and capacities of women, men, girls and boys at the security institutions.
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