DOMAFEIGN &PARTNERS  CALL TO ABORT HARMFUL TRADITIONAL PRACTICES. 

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By Joseph Tumbey

Ahead of International day of a Girl,  ” October 11″ A Civil  society Organization  DOMAFEIGN  along with their partners, Actionaid Liberia with funding  support  from Swedish International Cooperation  development  Agency  (SIDA),

organized  a four days annual review and reflection action point through sporting activities and indoor program held in Gbarma District that brought  together    five clans  in the district.

The event comes as an activity of Just and Equal Communities (JEC) project that looks at accessibility of Sexual Reproductive Health Rights information and services for women, girls and disadvantage groups which  is aiming  to bringing together  unity among  the inhabitants  to help  fight  violence against Girls and Women,  Electoral  Violence  and the  eradication of Harmful  Traditional  practices  across the Country. 

Speaking  at the  climax of their four   days Annual Community  Reflection   and Action Point program over the weekend   in Gbarma  with huge participants  across  the County, the  Executive  Director of DOMAFEIGN Mr. BOIMAH  COLEMAN  calls on every Liberian to fight against Women and Girls,  electoral violence and  harmful Traditional practices  serious   in order to maintain peace   and restore human dignity in the Society. 

DOMAFEIGN  Director   encouraged the Community base  organizations  CBO,s   to educate  the  public  that Teachers  are not suppose to have sex with students  for grade,  no sex for job, no violence before   during  and after  elections, right  to Family  planning  among  Young  Girls and Women and stop the harmful  traditional practices.

He is calling  on the Government of Liberia to stop Certificating traditional  leaders who are involved in    the harmful  traditional practices  and adhere to their International  partners’ call in order  to stop  stigmatizing  Children  growing  up in their local setting. 

Speaking  on behalf of Actionaid  Liberia during Sexual Harassment Exploitation and Abuse (SHEA) and Safeguarding session, the Communications  Officer Mr.   Khulekani Sibindi noted that  SHEA is  an international policy that is meant to prevent and protect vulnerable populations especially Women, Children, persons living with disabilities as well as Adult at risk. 

“The policy has become an International  working document that is compulsory to be adopted by all entities across the world including Liberia. He further noted that all Actionaid Liberia staff and implementing partners as well their vendors are not allowed to have relationships  with the beneficiaries.

 Should this happen, he noted that the community members have a mandate to report to the following numbers ( 0778728365, 0886407129).Sibindi broke down the acronym SHEA and invited the participants to give relevant examples of each violence”, Mr.  Sibindi  asserted. 

He further noted that Sexual Harassment is in three forms that includes, Verbal,  Nonverbal and Physical. Present members also noted that Exploitation happens a lot in work places, schools markets, which at times result in rape. He concluded  by educating the men present that women are not properties, instead they are the mens helpers.

Meanwhile,   the Executive  Director for Gbarma Youths for development  and collective Action  Ms. Josephine M. Poole  said the young Girls have right to their body and no Man should  feel offended  to carryout  sexual violence against them.

The DOMAFEIGN  however,   organized  three  days sporting  activities  amongst  Girls and boys within  the four clans in the Gbarma district both  in kick and footballing that brought together  hundreds of the inhabitants  to celebrate  their Annual Community  Reflection   and Action Point program.

During  the sporting activities,   Matherline  M. Sesay a Captain of the    Tarkpomah  Clan    kick ball  who claimed to be member of their girls forum encouraged others  to part take in their  activities  and discuss  the social  problems affecting  them.

“We are  a  team of  Social workers  from the humna rights background   that is,  DOMAFEIGN  with ACTIONAID LIBERIA    to inform  the Citizens of the Just equal  Community project  (JEC).   In this project, we gather informations   around where young people  will go out and be able to  gather informations  around  about their sexualities  and free health services into places that it should be”, DOMAFEIGN  program  Officer,  Foster  Jenemana narrated  at the Gbarma  sports  pitch over the weekend. 

He said, their activities  is aiming at sending  message  across  the Country, of how young  people  will  utilize  the opportunities   to educate  others on their basic  social challenges and  finding  solution to their problems. 

According  to him,their initiative  has upgraded most of their mentees to be coming  Community Based  Organizations  Ambassador that are   taking  over their own responsibilities  to  spread   the insignificant  nature of  Human dignity  and rights  in their  respective society.

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