Monrovia – It was a house full of joy on International Women’s Day when the Government of Liberia through President George Weah, joined by Vice President Jewel Howard Taylor and international Development partners unveiled the nation’s first public DNA machine.
By Gerald C. Koinyeneh – [email protected] and Willie N. Tokpah, [email protected]
The gigantic machine was purchased by the government to aid in the investigation of rape as result of a recommendation by the Inter-Ministerial Taskforce on Sexual Gender-Based Violence (ITSGBV) set up by President Weah in 2020 amid sustained protests by rights activists over the alarming rate of Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV) cases.
The DNA machine was recommended as doctors, law enforcers and human rights activists decried the difficulties in detecting rape cases over the lack of the medical equipment.
In his address at the event marking the observance of the International Women’s Day held at the Ministerial Complex in Congo Town on Monday, President Weah said the procurement of the machine was a ‘great step’ in investigating rape cases.
“Today, I am happy to announce that a DNA testing machine is now in Liberia. This is a great step forward in bringing relief to survival of sexual based violence as well as alleged perpetrators,” the President declared.
The President noted that for many years, criminal investigation on sexual and gender base violence has solely relied on victims’ explanations, but with the DNA machine, he sees a new improvement in investigating rape cases.
‘Epidemic in a Pandemic’
During the heat of Liberia’s COVID-19 fight in 2020, the Government, through the Ministry of Health instituted several measures including the complete lock down of schools, churches, hotels and other public places.
In the wake of the measures, incidence of sexual and Gender Based Violence, mostly rape soon begin to rise, prompting series of protests by activists calling on the government to act in bringing perpetrators to justice, providing reparations for survivors and ending the menace.
President Weah then declared rape a national emergency and set up an Inter-Ministerial Taskforce in July 2020 with a mandate to put into place a technical team comprising relevant stakeholders who will regularly discuss, consult and provide concrete and enforceable recommendations on enhancing the fight against SGBV.
The work of the Task Force led to the development of the “Government of Liberia and Partners’ Anti-sexual and Gender-based Violence Roadmap 2020-2022”, which was subsequently endorsed by the Cabinet, and implementation is currently ongoing.
The President recounted that it was determined that one of the measures to tackle the scourge of rape was the acquisition of a DNA testing machine, adding this was because the lack of a definite way to establish proof of the crime of rape allowed a lot of perpetrators to go free.
Further in his remarks, the President acknowledge that “During the imposition of health and safety measures by the Health authorities to try and contain the virus, such as lockdowns and closure of schools, the family home, which we assume should be safe, was no longer a safe place for women and children, as they were locked down with their perpetrators. It became an epidemic within the pandemic.”
Also speaking, the Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection, Williametta Piso Saydee Tarr noted that the gathering was a testimony of women’s contributions and commitment towards the total quality of leadership being dispensed in Liberia and around the world.
However, she reminded her audience that in the midst of International Women’s Day celebration, women are still essentially under-represented in key areas of decision making. And some of these challenges women in Liberia and around the world continue to face include, unemployment, under-representation in business, politics and other basic livelihood opportunities.
Speaking further, she said: “As a key participant amongst women in leadership, I am happy to serve under the leadership of a President who has fearlessly dubbed himself the “Feminist-in-Chief, thereby fully committing himself to alleviating the plights of women in Liberia.”
She thanked President Weah for his commitment to uplifting and empowering women through several projects including the electrification of Monrovia and other parts of the country, and most recently the unveiling US$2 million and US$16 million opportunity for female farmers amongst so many other promises made and kept.
According to her, the heightened awareness in the number of rape and other sexual and gender based violence cases in the country during the heat of the Covid-19 pandemic brought to bear a way forward – which was the Anti-SGBV Roadmap.
“To that end, I believe that if we, as a nation bind together to fight the scourge of rape, we can lessen the perpetuation of these heinous crimes to make it impossible for women and girls and vulnerable people to thrive in a feasible environment where they can grow and prosper,” she added.
For his part, United States Ambassador to Liberia, Michael McCarthy recommited the United States Government’s support to the education of women and girls, noting that education is a powerful game changer for women and girls.
He said: “As we celebrate International Women’s Day today, let us therefore recommit ourselves to doing all we can to give Liberian women and girls equal access to the rights and privileges enjoyed by men and boys; to unlock doors to opportunities that have been shut to them for so long; and to draw on their immense abilities and resources so that they are active players in Liberia’s journey to self-reliance. And rest assured that as we work together to do so, you can count on the continued support of the United States. We’ve been here, we are still here, working together.”
Ambassador McCarthy also noted that education is an indispensable tool for their social, economic, and political empowerment, and key to ending the scourge of inter-generational poverty. “This is why the United States’ development assistance to Liberia attaches special importance to educating women and girls,” he added.
He revealed that the United States Government’s current emphasis is now on increasing access to education for out-of-school children and adolescent girls between the ages of 8-15, providing them safe learning environments where they can acquire basic literacy and numeracy skills and ultimately transition to formal schooling.
Meanwhile, the event attended by top government officials including the Legislature, cabinet, members of the diplomatic corps, civil society organizations and scores of Liberian women, was organized by the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection in collaboration with the office of the First Lady. It was observed under the global theme: “Women In Leadership: Achieving An Equal Future In A Covid-19 World” and the National theme “Breaking Down Barriers In The New Dispensation Of A Covid-19 World.”