The President of the Republic of Liberia, His Excellency Dr. George Manneh Weah has by Proclamation declared Wednesday, November 25 through Thursday, December 10, 2020, the Sixteen (16) Days of Activism against Gender Based Violence to be observed throughout the Republic as a Working Holidays.

The Proclamation calls on Government Ministries and Agencies, Local and International Organizations, the Children’s Parliament, the United Nations System and the General Public to join the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection in collaboration with the Gender Based Violence Taskforce, Women Organizations and Men’s Groups to plan and implement appropriate programs befitting the occasion.

A Foreign Ministry release saysthe 16 Days Of Activism Against Gender Based Violence is a Global Champaign dedicated to end Gender-Based Violence and highlight other significant dates such as: November 25, International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women; November 29, International Women Human Rights Defenders Day; December 1, World AIDS Day; December 3, International Day of Disabled Persons; December 6, Anniversary of the Montreal Massacre and December 10, International Human Rights Day.

According to the Proclamation, the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection being cognizant of the dates of“International Day of Violence Against Women,” “International Human Rights Day”, “International Human Rights Defenders Day”, “World AIDS Day”, “International Day of Disabled Persons”, and “the Anniversary of the MontrealMassacre”, has agreed to jointly observe the above occasions through specially planned programs to further raised and strengthen the concepts of being expressed for public consumption and participation.

The Proclamation further mentions that the 2020 campaign will be celebrated under the global theme: “End GBV and Harassment in the World of Work” and the National theme: “Take Action to End GBV and Harassment in Liberia”.

The Proclamation says the Inter-Ministerial Task Force on SGBV set up by President  George Manneh Weah submitted a document entitled: “Government of Liberia and Partners Anti-SGBV Roadmap (2020-2022)” at the end of a Special Cabinet meeting convened, amongst other things, to receive the Roadmap document.

The Proclamation further reveals that as the consequence, a National Anti-Rape & Sexual & Gender Based Violence (SGBV) Conference was held at the Ministerial Complex in Congo Town from September 8-9, 2020 to address issues of rape and other form of SGBV.

The Proclamation notes that domestic violence, especially denial of resources, persistent non-support, abandonment of families by the sole provider of that family, child abuse and sexual abuse by parents and guardians are some of the reasons for the rise in child prostitution, teenage pregnancy, and other social exclusions.

The Proclamation states that these forms of violence which have not been noticed as grave contributing factors are eating up the Liberian Society and gradually destroying the future of its young generation.

The Proclamation also states that GBV and harassment, whether in homes, educational settings and formal workplaces at both private and public areas, are quite pronounced, but also not adequately reported and documented. Rape is the most prevalent amongst the reported GBV incidence especially amongst girls who are below 18 years old.

However, the release says reported cases of sodomy of boys are on the rise which calls for measure to ensure an enabling, safe environment for growth and development for women and children. Predominantly, because of the high rate of poverty, sexual exploitation and abuse, as well as sexual harassment of women and girls in the work places and educational institutions are forms of violence that are faced with every day of their lives, but are not addressed appropriately under our laws or criminalized.

During the First Women’s Global Leadership Conference sponsored by the Center for Women’s Global Leadership (CWGL) in 1991, the 25^th Day of November was set aside to be observed each year as the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, and December 10, International Human Rights Day, in recognition of violence against women as a human right violation and called on governments to work towards its elimination, the Proclamation states further.