By: Wilmot Konah
Monrovia, Liberia: Atty. Yah Vallah Parwon, the Country Director of Medica Liberia, has called on key government institutions to increase budgetary allocations aimed at combating the growing waves of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBVs) in the country.
Madam Parwon noted that while Liberia has established policies and frameworks to address SGBVs, the implementation of these measures remains hindered by insufficient budgetary support. She emphasized that without increased funding for institutions tasked with enforcing SGBV laws and policies, meaningful progress cannot be achieved.
Highlighting the urgent need for intervention, Madam Parwon stressed that inadequate funding undermines efforts to tackle SGBVs. She proposed reducing expenditures on salaries and benefits to free up resources for critical programs aimed at addressing this public health and societal threat.
“We urge the government to reduce the benefits of employees and civil servants in order to provide fiscal support to ministries, agencies, and CSOs working in the sector,” she stated.
According to the UN Women 2023 SGBV Report, Liberia recorded 3,204 cases of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence, with women and girls disproportionately affected. Alarmingly, rape accounted for nearly 63% of these reported cases. The report underscores the urgency of developing innovative measures such as victim rehabilitation programs and widespread anti-SGBV awareness campaigns.
Madam Parwon warned that without increased support, women across Liberia will continue to face severe challenges due to their heightened vulnerability to gender-based violence. While Liberia’s legal frameworks to combat SGBVs are robust, limited resources remain a major obstacle to effective implementation.
She called on the Liberian government to allocate additional funding to SGBV programs, ensuring that resources are directed to institutions like the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, Liberia National Police, and civil society organizations. These entities play a pivotal role in advancing the fight against SGBVs.
Madam Parwon made this appeal during a dialogue organized by the Peace Community Development Foundation in Monrovia recently.
