MONROVIA — The United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) has conducted a Baseline Survey and Knowledge Gap Assessment of the United Nations Security Council Resolutions on Women Peace and Security in Liberia.
On Friday, March 12, 2021, a Validation Workshop on the findings of the Baseline Survey and Knowledge Gap Assessment was held in Monrovia. The validation was carried out by members of government Ministries and Agencies, civil society organizations, members of the NAP WPS technical working group, women’s organizations and other implementing partners from Nimba, Grand Bassa and Montserrado Counties.
The Baseline Survey and Knowledge Gap Assessment were carried out under a project entitled: Advancing Implementation of the UNSCR 1325 on Women, Peace and Security through Strengthening Accountability Frameworks, Innovation Financing and Gender Responsive Budgeting. The project is being implemented jointly by OHCHR and UN Women in partnership with the Government of Liberia with funding from the Peacebuilding Fund under its Gender and Youth Promotion Initiative.
Speaking on behalf of the Country Representative of OHCHR, Dr. Uchenna Emelonye, OHCHR’s focal person on the WPS project, Ms. Ernestine Ebai stated that the interventions under the project have been designed to accelerate the implementation of the second Liberian National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security (2019-2023). She noted that Liberia’s National Action Plan on Women Peace and Security is aligned with global, regional and national commitments such as the SDGs and the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women. Madam Ebai also disclosed that the project aims to enhance the allocation of financial resources for the implementation of the Second Liberia National Action Plan on Women Peace and Security; advance the human rights-based implementation of peacebuilding activities from the Second LNAP on WPS by fostering a partnership with CSOs and Government Institutions while strengthening national structures’ coordination; enhance women’s organizations’ capacity and targeted government agencies on result-based management, gender-responsive monitoring and reporting, revealing whether the on LNAP WPS addresses women and men’s different priorities and needs.
The Baseline Study and Knowledge Gap Assessment were carried out in Montserrado, Nimba and Grand Bassa Counties by a National Consultant in 2020 to assist planning and assessment of implementation of the project. The knowledge gap assessment was conducted on Gender, Masculinity, Human Rights Standards, Human rights-based approach and the National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security. The knowledge gap assessment will guide the planning of project activities and the integration of a rights-based approach in all project activities.
Key findings of the reports include limited knowledge and capacity to implement the nation’s action plan coupled with inadequate dissemination of the plan and orientation of the stakeholders regarding their roles and responsibilities; limited understanding of the project and their roles and responsibilities as well as limited capacity in areas of innovative financing, Gender Responsive Budgeting, monitoring, advocacy and reporting; Masculinity seems to be an unknown concept with limited understanding among the key stakeholders. On the other hand, there is general knowledge and understanding of women’s rights; Knowledge and understanding of the concept of right-holders and duty-bearers regarding claims as well as knowledge and understanding of how Human Rights Based Approach provides a lens to many overlapping issues of poverty and violence is limited.
In response to the findings, the following recommendations were made: Ensure dissemination of the second phase national action plan widely through different channels (Online, emails, hard copies etc) and ensure relevant Ministries and agencies as well as civil society organizations at all levels (national, county and district), Strengthen information education and awareness campaigns about the plan at all levels through stakeholder’s engagement meetings, talk shows, jingles, radio dramas etc using English and local languages; Support an orientation session for key stakeholders who have roles and responsibilities towards the implementation of the plan and ensure a tracking mechanism for achievement of results. Support awareness and training on Gender Responsive Budgeting, Innovative financing, human rights-based approaches and mainstreaming gender into planning and budgeting processes with major government and civil society actors; Create awareness on human rights standards and the concept of right-holders and duty-bearers regarding claims with major civil society and community-based organizations; Ensure activities related to the concept of masculinity and behavior change on male roles related to gender and gender issues in Counties with levels of gender-based violence, rape and sexual abuse and Strengthen ministerial leadership for coordination, accountability and implementation.