-Want him, others apologize for disrespecting womanhood
The women NGO Secretariat and the Chairperson of the Committee on Gender in the House of Representatives, Rep. Moima Briggs Mensah, have strongly condemned Rep. Yekeh Kolubah for reigning insults on the First Lady of the Republic of Liberia and threatened lawsuits against individuals who posted on social media the photos of a young lady with Rep. Kolubah on Tubman Boulevard.
Amid the previous and recent wave of misuse of social media, the Women NGOs Secretariat of Liberia (WONGOSOL), the mother body of women-led non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in Liberia, and the Chair on Gender at the 55th National Legislature of Liberia, Representative Moima Briggs Mensah, have excoriated the act of social media bullying and the implications of a minor on the poster who failed to act responsibly by protecting the identity of a female student and called on the Justice Ministry to intervene.
Last weekend, photos of a female student who was seen along with Montserrado County District #10 Representative Yekeh Kolubah along the Tubman Boulevard, went viral on social media, as many had different ways to interpret the connection between the lawmaker and the female. Like anyone might believe, the women say the act has subjected the young female student to being stigmatized.
The women of Liberia have frowned at the act, and emphasized the emotional trauma inflicted upon the young girl due to the circulation of the photo, and urged the public to refrain from such exploitative acts.
With this, WONGOSOL called on the National Legislature to ensure that the Ministry of Justice swiftly probed the matter. “WONGOSOL, therefore, called on the National Legislature to ensure that the Ministry of Justice investigates and provides to the public an in-depth investigation concerning this matter.
At her Capital Tuesday, April 9, 2024, Bong County District #6 Representative Moima Briggs Mensah called out individuals, including a radio personality, who justified the circulation of the image, to apologize to the female student within three days for the distress caused to the girl.
As Chair of the Gender Committee, Representative Mensah pledged to pursue justice for the young girl and ensure accountability for those involved in the exploitation and insults against women. She frowned at cyberbullying and noted that there’s a need for the government to regulate the use of social media in Liberia.
Representative Mensah also strongly condemned Representative Kolubah’s unorthodox behavior towards Madam Katumu Boakai, the wife of President Joseph Boakai. She characterized it as frustrating and disappointing, highlighted the need for respectful conduct, especially towards peaceful figures like Madam Boakai, and urged the lawmaker to issue an apology for his actions.
Like Representative Briggs, the Women NGOs Secretariats of Liberia (WONGOSOL) has also refuted in the strongest terms a recent statement made by Montserrado County, District #10, Representative Yekeh Kolubah, against Women Human Rights Defenders, during a live interview on Sunday, April 7, 2024, whilst responding to a social media post of him and a young lady.
They referenced: “During his interview on April 7, Rep. Kolubah described women rights defenders as “less busy individuals”. The women believe such a statement is an affront and threat to the work of the Women’s Human Rights Defenders, and an attempt to shrink the civic space, and hence it is not taken lightly.”
Because of this, WONGOSOL has called on Representative Yekeh Kolubah Representative to retract his statement within 24 hours, and the failure to do so will leave the women with the option to seek our remedy available to them,” the statement reads.
WONGOSOL encouraged Representative Kolubah to instead exercise his duly Constitutional Oversight Roles, and refrain from dictating to women’s rights organizations and trading excuses, game blaming, and using uncourteous language to address issues that he has the legal authority to address.
“As Women Human Rights Defenders, we work to ensure accountability and ensuring a safe environment for all most especially the vulnerable groups. WONGOSOL has been engaging on the matter and has focused our attention on the protection of the young lady, who happens to be a teenager. And call on the public to refrain from further exposing the young lady to social media bullying and other threats to her person, wellbeing, and livelihood,” WONGOSOL statement reads.
WONGOSOL’s statement reads, “WONGOSOL wants to raise this condescending and threatening statement made by Rep. Yekeh Kolubah to our bi-lateral and international partners to address this matter because we see this as a threat to our work, as women human rights defenders, as there may be no protection for human rights defenders in Liberia.”
Article III (RIGHT TO DIGNITY 1) of the Maputo Protocol forbids awkward acts against women. It states, “Every woman shall have the right to dignity inherent in a human being and to the recognition and protection of her human and legal rights. 2. Every woman shall have the right to respect as a person and to the free development of her personality. 3. States Parties shall adopt and implement appropriate measures to prohibit any exploitation or degradation of women. 4. States Parties shall adopt and implement appropriate measures to ensure the protection of every woman’s right to respect for her dignity and protection of women from all forms of violence, particularly sexual and verbal violence.”
Article IV (THE RIGHTS TO LIFE, INTEGRITY AND SECURITY OF THE PERSON 1) of the protocol also stressed that every woman shall be entitled to respect for her life and the integrity and security of her person. “Every woman shall be entitled to respect for her life and the integrity and security of her person. All forms of exploitation, cruel, inhuman or degrading punishment and treatment shall be prohibited.”
The Maputo Protocol is PROTOCOL TO THE AFRICAN CHARTER ON HUMAN AND PEOPLE’S RIGHTS ON THE RIGHTS OF WOMEN IN AFRICA. It was adopted by the 2nd Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the Union Maputo, Mozambique 11th July 2003 and entered into force 25th November 2005.
