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By Joseph Tumbey josephtumbey@gmail.com (+231)777941209

Afric Daily Newspaper- Gbapolu.:The head of Domafeign, the local NGO in Gbarpolu County, survives a terrible attack from the traditional leaders for his institution involvement in what they term as provocations to their belief.
In less than two weeks after organizing a massive campaign to educate the locals about the Just and Equal Communities JEC project that focuses on, Sexual Reproductive Health Rights SRHR and the importance to eradicate traditions harmful practices in Liberia. The project is implemented by Domafeign in partnership with ActionAid Liberia with funding support from SIDA through the Embassy of Sweden.
The local NGO Director “Domafeign”, Mr. Boima Coleman reported came under attack late Friday night on October 21 by Traditional leaders because of their recent SRHR awareness on Harmful Traditional Practices during their Annual Review and Reflection Action Activity in Gbarma, district Gbopolu County.
Accordingly, Mr. Coleman worked over two hours in the deep forest and seek rescue in Gbarma where they are currently engaging the local Authority to probe the attack.
“I was attacked and intimidated by Traditional individuals headed by the Poro Society devil late last night and I was forced to escape my village and walked over two hours to get to the District Headquarters, Gbanga to report the case. Government is saying that there is a ban on the practice but amidst the Government order, people are still being harassed and intimidated. All this resulted from the recent JEC and SRHR activity that was held in Gbarma”,DOMAFEIGN Director told the media.
During their latest event in the County, Coleman asked 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.
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.
Also speaking on behalf behalf of Actionaid Liberia at their program 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 (0770535738,0778728365 ). 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.
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