-To Minimize SGBV
By: G Bennie Bravo Johnson I
The Ministry of Gender Children and Social Protection on Wednesday, December 11, 2024, launched its call center intended to strengthen the fight against Gender-Based Violence.
The launch of Call-Center is to provide the public with additional options for reporting instances of sexual and gender-based violence, child abuse and labor, trafficking, abandonment, and neglect, missing children and minors, exploitation in schools and workplaces, and maternity emergencies through the use of the 116 number.
Meanwhile, during the launch, the Minister of Gender Children, and Social Protection, Minister Gbeme Horice-Kollie provided the Call Center will be used to collect data to be used by the national government and partners.
She asserted that the Government in the past has always found it difficult to attain data because it is the partners who always havedata needed by the Government. “The government does not have a single piece of data, it is our partners who have our data. It’s a shame on us as a government for us not to have a single deal of data for ourselves. Let this call center be used to generate data for our use.” Minister Gbeme Horice-Kollie
However, she acknowledged that collecting data on sexual gender base Violence by the ministry is always difficult because family survivors are not always willing to provide needed information to combat Sexual Gender Base Violence. She stated that the Ministry will continue to work with partners and ensure and strengthen infrastructure to fight Gender Base Violence. “The Ministry will work with our partners and ensure that we strengthen the infrastructure to fight Gender Base Violence. We will work with our partners because we can’t do it alone.” The Gender Minister charged the public to make use of 116 as a pathway to the call center adding that it will help keep track of Gender Violence across the country.
For their part, the Ministry of Health has charged the gender call center to be proactive in assisting victims with directives to public facilities. The ministry asserted that the delay in ensuring that victims are given access to medication jeopardizes the against Gender-Based Violence on grounds that evidence will not be gotten after seventy-two hours. “Let the call center be proactive in assisting victims to have access to public facilities and a one-stop shop in not more than 72 hours. If we don’t get things done within that time, we can’t get the evidence we need to fight gender-based violence.”
At the same time, the World Bank through its country representative Georgia Wallen described the launch of the “Gender Call Center” as a test for real work to end violence against women and girls. “The work does not start and end here. The real test starts now in terms of data quality management, capacity building of service providers who are going to provide services to survivors.” Wallen provided that the launch represents a critical step towards ensuring that women and girls, as well as child survival have access to service and support. She further intimated that the Bank will continue to support the government’s effort in ending violence against women and girls across Liberia.
“Today’s launch is a testimony to the transformative potential of the partnership and leadership. The launch of the GBVs Call Center represents a critical step towards ensuring that women and girls, as well as child survival have access to service and support. We stand united with the Government and the Ministry of Gender in the effort to protect women and girls from violence.”
