MONROVIA – For the first time in Liberia, program marking the observance International Men’s Day was celebrated in the country. The celebration was organized by two local women advocacy organizations HeforShe Crusaders – Liberia (HEFOSEL) and Servants for All Prayer Assembly (SOAP), with support from Plan International.
The Day was held at the Millennium Hotel in the Sinkor suburb of Monrovia and was attended by over one hundred students from various learning institutions in Monrovia and its environs.
This year’s celebration was observed under the global theme: “Positive Male Role Models”, with a national theme: “Men Involving in Ending GBV and Fostering Women Equal Participation Essential to National Development”.
The Day was observed on Monday, November 19
The purpose of the Day, according to HEFOSEL National Coordinator, Tamba F. J. Johnson, is to retrospect on men’s and boy’s health improving gender relation, to promoting gender equality and highlighting positive male role models.
Mr. Johnson said HEFOSEL and SOAP believes that the celebration is a wakeup call for more men to engage and get involve in ending gender based violence against women, girls and boys.
“It is to foster gender equality with emphases on women political participation and representation”, Mr. Johnson Stated.
He said nearly 40 percent of boys in Liberia never had the opportunity to experience fatherly love and affection during their childhood development as such many of these children turnout to be liability to society then asset.
Mr. Johnson said the Day should not only be used to showcase men and boys achievements but to also let be an occasion that should challenge men to soberly reflect on what have been their positive achievements and contributions toward their communities, families, marriages and children upbringing as well as highlighting the discrimination against them (males) over the time.
He indicated: “HEFOSEL and SOAP lauded President George Weah for committing himself as He for She Campaigners and called on the Liberian Government to also comply to her international commitments made to ensuring that the human rights is of a priority with women issue taking the lead to do so”.
The local women advocacy organizations also called on government to ensure that the domestic violence bill be passed and improved the judiciary system to adjudicate rape cases because many men rights are being violated in that they are innocent being incarcerated without having their time in court.
Serving as one of the panelists, veteran Liberian Journalist, Kenneth Y. Best, told the students to be humble, hardworking and honor their parents and all things will go well with them.
“In my upbringing I was everything for my mother. She made me to work very hard, fetch water, go to the market and on the bench to buy fish for the entire family and that all those training get me where I am today”, Mr. Best explained.
He told them not to despair their parents training as it will definitely prepared them for a fruitful life journey.
The Veteran Liberian Journalist cautioned them of the Biblical quotation which say, train up a child in a way he will grow and when he is old he will not forget.
Mr. Best called on them to also be serious with their lesson because education is the key to success.
Also speaking, TEACH – Liberia, Executive Director, Desmond Diggs, cautioned the students not to allow peer pressure to carry them astray.
Mr. Diggs called upon them to be focus in whatsoever good things they will be venturing in, noting that a successful life come through sacrifices by foregoing many things.
For his part, the Servants for All Prayer Assembly (SOAP) Executive Director, T. Nelson Williams, who served as keynote speaker, admonished the students to respect constituted authorities as it is required of them.
Speaking further, Mr. Williams called on Liberian men to be supportive of those good things the will create an enabling environment for women and girls to freely exhibit their full potentials.
“Let men stand up against the ugly activities that will endanger the women and girls because they are the weaker vessel”, he narrated.
He emphasized for men to be good leaders, they must start it in their various homes and communities because once they can manage their home it will be transmitted to the working places.
Mr. Williams warned Liberians to do those things that will bring the people together and stop looking at political, religious, creed and sex, among others that continue divide the country.