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Monrovia – Liberia Initiative for the Promotion of Rights, Identity Diversity and Equality (LIPRIDE) in Partnership with Actionaid Liberia with support from FORUMCIV has concluded a policy dialogue with partners on Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) in Liberia.
The dialogue was triggered by a social impact audit report which commenced since 2018 on assessing progress of SRHR services in four counties. Those counties include Montserrado, Margibi, Grand Bassa and Bong.
Giving the overview, LIPRIDE coordinator Maxwell Monboe indicated that the dialogue was intended to seek partners opinion on the social audit report and as well solicit possible recommendation to advance achievement in SRHR issues in Liberia.
Maxwell noted that the survey report is a tool to help prepare advocacy engagements with policy makers or actors to effect change around improving access to SRHR and access to Justice for key and disadvantaged populations in Liberia.
Making the presentation, Evans Adofo, Stop Aids in Liberia Executive Director pointed out to partners that the survey report target 252 respondents in the 4 targeted counties. It stated that the survey found that though condoms and lubricants are available to key populations but stigma and discrimination remains high.
Evans noted that respondents mentioned Access to Justice, Access to information for accessing Justice among key population remain a challenge as suppression of Human Rights due to sexuality is high.
“Most of the respondents said that they are not knowledgeable about a court in their Community where they can seek Justice while others said they don’t have money to hire a lawyer or state prosecutor to pursue rights cases. This points to the fact that more education needs to be done. Also, Respondents said the Police are most times partial when it comes to key population issues,” Evans noted.
The Social Audit report, among other things, recommended training of key stakeholders including Court Officers, Officers of the Liberia National Police (LNP) on human rights; the provision of full SRHR packages at all facilities as well as the enactment of laws that protect all irrespective of sexual orientation.
Panelists during the dialogue stated that more needs to be done in achieving progress for SRHR issues, particularly pointing to the report.
The Panelists mentioned that Law Enforcement Officers especially the Police must continuously discharge their duties void of partiality or sexuality.
During the general discussion and feedback session, partners recommended that there is a need for a non-discrimination policy to be enacted which will serve as a driving force for championing SRHR.
LIPRIDE is a civil society human rights organization that advocates for minority groups in Liberia.