Monrovia – A three-day regional conference aimed at mapping up strategies to enhance the protection of children across the Mano River Basin has convened in Monrovia, with a call for the total involvement of the communities to help eradicate violence perpetrated against minors.
The conference, which kicked off at the Corina Hotel in Sinkor on Tuesday, December 10, is being organized by Defense for Children-Liberia with funding from Fund for Global Human Rights.
It is being held under the theme: “Promoting Community Ownership and Prevention Against Children.”
Speaking to reporters shortly after the opening of the conference, the Executive Director of Defense for Children-Liberia, Att’y Foday Kawah disclosed that the exercise marks the 6th convening of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and youth organizations combating against violence against children in the MRU region.
He pointed out that the exercise, which firstly commenced in 2010, is intended for experts to brainstorm and deliberate on issues affecting the lives of children in MRU countries, including Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea.
“There are reports within the Mano River Union that violence against children across the three countries has been very high. So, it is because of this we have been meeting annually to design strategies and make sure that communities take ownership, instead of civil societies; they will be more sustainable as compare to only government or civil societies advocating. They need to take ownership of whatsoever program we are effecting when it comes to violence against children,” he noted.
Factors for violence against children
In Liberia, the combat against violence perpetrated against children has been an aged-old problem.
Minors continue to be raped, molested, ill-treated and used as bread-winners for their respective families.
Attorney Kawah attributed the hike in the number of violence against minors to early child marriage, teenage pregnancy, child trafficking and Female Genital Mutilation (FGM).
Participants
According to him, community leaders and advocates from the three MRU countries are in attendance at the conference.
“We have community leaders and child welfare committees that have been invited from Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone to participate in this convening. They will be able to come out to brainstorm and project a strategy that will be much more sustainable for prevention and respond to violence against children,” he stated.
Expectations
Attorney Kawah further expressed the hope that deliberations at the conference will lead to the formulation of a resolution that will sustain the fight against violence against children.
He added that outcome of the meeting in Monrovia would further be expanded to rural areas in the MRU basin.
“The outcome of this convening will be reached to the rural communities so that we can all fight against violence against children. There will also be a panel discussion on how we can fight against violence against children. We also have an expert from Uganda, who also will be sharing ideas when it comes to community ownership,” he disclosed.