16 Days of Activism against GBV Challenging The Power and Control Wheel

By A. Alvin Winford
Liberia is joining the rest of the world to commemorate 16 Days of Activism against Gender Based Violence from November 25 – December 10, 2011. This 10th Anniversary of the Campaign is being celebrated in Liberia under the global theme: “From Peace in the Home to Peace in the World: Let’s Challenge Militarism and End Violence Against Women!” while the national theme is: “Peace in the Home is Peace in the Nation.” Wow! What a marvelous theme! There could be no better theme than this. It depicts that the nation is prepared to depart from its ugly past of gender biases, harmful cultural practices, lack of equal opportunities, power and control which fueled violence against women. There is no better place to start than the home. We must underscore that Liberia has made some huge efforts in curtailing GBV. At the national level, there is a Rape Law with strong penalties ranging from 10 years to life imprisonment and also Criminal Court E charged with overseeing rape cases has been set up as well as the initiating of the Women and Children Protection Section at the Liberia National Police. There is also the Inheritance Law which protects women right to property during and after marriage. These reforms were intended to tighten the socio legal protection system that would enable women to claim and enjoy their rights against violence at all levels. Furthermore, the fact that Liberia boasts of having the first female president in Africa also boosts the engendering of the safeguarding of women on the national agenda. At the grass root level, civil society organizations, NGOs and UN partners are also contributing towards mobilizing of communities and the strengthening of structures in identifying, monitoring, reporting and preventing GBV. To some extent, changes are occurring at different levels and stages. The situation is improving for the better. Nevertheless, we are still far away from achieving that ideal society that prevents and responds to violence against women. We are still confronted with headache in the socio legal protection system not rising up promptly to the challenge. We are saddled with lack of awareness on gender and protection issues in some communities. We are still supporting harmful cultural practices which only heighten violence against women. Men and communities are still violating women in the name of holding tradition. The power and control wheel is still spinning with women being the victims with some paying little or no attention in mustering the courage to challenge this abuse of power. True, if peace is to reign in the nation, it must begin from the home. Husbands and family members should begin to motivate, support and inspire women rather than demean them. Our communities must serve as the haven that would stand up for the protection of women regardless of the status of the perpetrators. Violence against women can no longer be considered family or private affairs. It is a serious human right issue. It is wrong and we must stop it today; and not tomorrow. Communities and families must name and shame batterers. This would send the clear message that their behavior is inimical to the peace and vibrancy of the family and community. There are still vexing issues exacerbating violence against women in Liberia. We are yet to take a decisive step in addressing the Sande Society or Bush School. No one is preaching against the practicing of our culture, but for a harmful cultural practice to violate the rights of others to the very core, then we should be having a second thought about it if we are to be taken seriously. Even the Committee on the Convention of the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) is encouraging us as a State Party to take some steps in addressing this frightening practice. We can just use this 16 Days of Activism to demonstrate our seriousness. We must begin to reinforce our response mechanism in promptly addressing sexual violence. True, there is the Rape Law and Criminal Court E addressing rape, but in some cases there are no reliance in addressing sexual exploitation and abuse. We need to go beyond the “Zero Tolerance SEA Circular” and put in measures that would curtail this abuse of power. We should begin to address the plight of young women who use their bodies as alternative to survival. We should not pretend that this is not happening. Empowerment, education and skill training should be our focus so that the survivors would be capacitated to make decisions from an advantageous position. Women and girls must be part of the planning, implementation and evaluation stages of our programs in clear demonstration of ownership. This will also give our programs a human face. They should be women centered. We should continue to engage all stakeholders including policy makers, religious, traditional and community leaders in influencing behavior, attitudes and practices that would reduce violence against women to the barest minimum. Yes, we must continue to rally our non abusive male counterparts as partners to serve as peer educators to others. We must challenge the power and control wheel and say no to all acts that violate the rights of women. We must back the 16 Days of Activism against GBV by deeds, and not words alone. The place to show our seriousness that we mean well is at home and in our communities by relinquishing the power and control wheel in preventing and responding to GBV. That means we cannot continue to do the same thing of abusing women and girls that we are accustomed to. It also means that we as parents and community should stop pushing our young girls on the lane to hustle for us. They deserve better than this. We must depart from the ugly past. The moment we set the standard at home, the rest of the nation will follow suit. Until that final victory is won, let us keep on keeping on.