By: Julius Konton
A group of Civil Society Organizations under the banner, CSOs Gender Based Violence Coalition on Tuesday December 6, 2022 joined others to colorfully celebrate the 16 Days of activism.
Dressed in orange and white, well attired, women and girls from scores of Civil Society groups particularly females, held placards with different inscriptions but one message in ending all forms of violence against women and girls in Liberia.
The women rights campaigners in general, well energized, created awareness and paraded from Catholic Junction to the Young Women Christian Association of Liberia (YWCA) Head Office in Congo Town where the official indoor program was held.
Giving an overview of the celebration was the Executive Director of the “Her Voice Liberia” Cllr. Margaret Nigba who emphasize the need to put more attention to women living with disability.
According to her and over the period , women with disability have faced lots of abuse and violence and now is the time to put their issues at the center of the table of national discussion.
She encouraged National Government and other key actors to see the need to support women with disability ahead of the 2023 general and Presidential Election.
” Include Women with disability as we go to the election process not only in politics but also in leadership and not just few but more”, she re-echoed.
Additionally, the women rights activist wants duty bearers create the opportunity and space for women with disability which she stated is also key.
” We encourage women with disability to be a part of our program adding that it is time that they have a seat at the table in order for them to discuss their issues”, Cllr. Nigba noted.
“Her Voice Liberia ” boss further indicated that as they walk the walk, it is important that women with disability walk the walk along with them so as to ensure that they directly flag their issues for the betterment of the sector.
Serving as keynote speaker at program was the Chairperson of the National Commission on Disability Diantowon Donahue Pay- Bayee who re-emphasize the need for accessibility to be prioritize for the disable community ahead of the 2023 General and Presidential Elections.
“Development Partners and National Government please support the National Elections Commission (NEC) to ensure that all necessary and essential materials needed for persons with disability to participate smoothly in the pending elections are made available”, she said.
Disability she pointed out is not inability emphasizing that women with disability are unique , ” We are not different , neither special but we are part of the society and should be treated with respect and dignity”, she noted.
According to the United Nations Statistic, 1 Billion people are living with disability globally, 80% of that number are people in developing Country , but we accept our status as such, The Disable Commission boss told the gathering.
In 1997 she historicized that the disable community constituted then 16% of Liberia’s population, (360,000) that’s according to the UNICEF while an estimated 200 -300 people become disable daily due to accident or natural disaster among others.
Moreover, she said as they await the census report , she anticipates that the number might increase to about 900,000 , 20% estimated figure as should , they should not be underestimated.
Narrating her life story on how she got disable at the age of five using her life as a motivation for others, Madam Pay- Bayee encourage her colleagues to accept who they are but was also quick to mention the trauma , stigmatization and marginalization among others that they go through on a daily, weekly, monthly and yearly basis as persons living with disability is huge and as such discourage said attitude by few people in the society.
She used the occasion to urged parents not go Abandon their children because , they are disable, using her story as a case study, ” If you see a man or women using a cane to cross the road , please help him or her” , she appeal to the gathering.
Providing some international protocols and conventions respectively, Chairperson Pay- Bayee stressed that Article 6 of the UN convention on persons with disability speaks about women with disability while article 9 talks about accessibility for persons with disability including article 29 which highlights participation, politics and public Rights respectively.
Moreover, she pointed out that the African Union Convention on persons with disability, article 29 also talks about right to political participation for persons living with disability while article 15 also talks about accessibility and articles 27 and 29 highlighted women with disability as well as youth with disability respectively.
Meanwhile, the 16 Days of activism which started on November 25, 2022 is an annual celebrations where Human Rights organizations under the theme: Ending All Forms Of Violence Against Women and Girls recognized the efforts they have been making to put an end to violence against women and to as well reflect on where they are, what the have done and work upon and to look at their challenges and see the need to move on with the aim of continuing their advocacy in ending all forms of violence against women and girls in Liberia.
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