MONROVIA: The Women NGOs Secretariat of Liberia (WONGOSOL), and its members celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Solidarity for African Women’s Rights (SOAWR).
The celebration of the day commenced with a one-day capacity-strengthening workshop for women-led organizations.
The gathering, held recently in Monrovia, at ActionAid Liberia’s office in Congo Town, brought together over 30 women-led organizations.
The gathering discussed the protocol’s importance in addressing violence against women in Liberia.
The event aimed at enhancing the knowledge and skills aimed at engaging state actors to ensure that the government lives up to its commitments under the Maputo Protocol.
Speaking during the opening of the dialogue, WONGOSOL’s Executive Director, Madam Esther S. D. Yango, emphasized that the gathering comes at a crucial time to elevate key actions within the Maputo Protocol and hold state actors accountable for their implementation.
“This gathering signifies a pivotal moment for us to develop strategies that will engage both national and international partners. Liberia has signed onto the protocol, and we must remind our government of the obligations it has towards protecting the rights of women,” Madam Yango stated.
She further called on the government of Liberia to live up to its commitments, particularly the protection of women’s rights, and urged immediate action to domesticate these international laws.
“We cannot have laws that Liberia is a signatory to, and still witness violence against women, especially FGM. The protocol prohibits this act, and Liberia has committed to it,” she emphasized.
“It is now time for the government to take concrete steps to domesticate these laws and ensure that women’s rights are truly protected.”
Madam Yango stressed that the strategies developed during the dialogue will serve as a roadmap for further advocacy efforts, ensuring that Liberia honors its commitments to advancing women’s rights.
The workshop also underscored the pivotal role of Solidarity for African Women Rights (SOAWR), which has been a strong advocate for women’s rights movements across Africa since 2004.
In her remarks, the Country Director of ActionAid Liberia highlighted the importance of the meeting, noting that the Maputo Protocol is a gender-responsive legal framework.
“As we discuss laws, especially those that are gender-sensitive, we cannot overlook regional or international frameworks like the Maputo Protocol, which is instrumental in addressing gender issues,” she said.
The Maputo Protocol, formally known as the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa, is a groundbreaking human rights instrument adopted by the African Union in 2003 in Maputo, Mozambique.
It promotes and protects the rights of women across Africa, focusing on issues such as discrimination, violence, harmful traditional practices, reproductive rights, and economic empowerment.
Notably, the protocol covers a wide range of rights, including the right to dignity, protection from violence, access to education, political participation, reproductive health, and inheritance rights. It also calls for the elimination of harmful practices like female genital mutilation (FGM).
Countries that ratify the protocol commit to enacting laws and policies that uphold these rights, ensuring women’s equality and empowerment.
The workshop however concluded with the zest for stronger advocacy and collaboration between and among women-led organizations. They committed to engage state actors, and international partners to ensure the effective implementation of the Maputo Protocol in Liberia.