Wants LNP Expedite Conclusion of Rape Investigation
Madam Gbeme Horace-Kollie, Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection, has called on traditional and faith-based leaders to use their platforms to champion protection, promote healing, and advance gender justice in their respective communities.
The Gender Minister made the remarks on Thursday, October 9, while serving as Guest Speaker at a Pan-African program organized by the Servants of All Prayer Assembly (SOAP), the South African Faith and Family Institute, and THINK-Liberia.
Speaking on the theme, “The Role and Influence of Faith and Culture in Addressing Intimate Partner Abuse (IPA) and Gender-Based Violence in Liberia,” Minister Horace-Kollie stated:
“While we remain optimistic about a future that dignifies women and girls, it is important to recognize that almost all perpetrators come from traditional, cultural, or religious backgrounds.”
She emphasized that gender-based violence (GBV) continues to pose a serious threat to the safety and dignity of women, girls, boys, and children across all 15 counties of Liberia, as reflected in the 2023 and 2024 SGBV statistics.
“Cultural values emphasizing family privacy and honor can reinforce silence, allowing abuse to persist unchecked,” she said. “For some, faith-based beliefs discourage seeking help outside the community. A person may believe that enduring suffering is a spiritual duty or that divorce is forbidden, thus trapping them in abusive relationships.”
Minister Horace-Kollie stressed the significance of the gathering, saying it could not have come at a more critical time. She noted that the absence of proper training on GBV issues often leads some traditional or religious leaders to give harmful advice, such as encouraging survivors to stay in abusive relationships. This, she warned, not only endangers victims but also emboldens abusers to misuse religious and cultural authority.
“As we bring this two-day Pan-African gathering to a close, let us renew our collective resolve to strengthen partnerships and translate our commitments into sustainable, practical actions that promote equality, justice, and the well-being of every Liberian,” she urged.
The Minister reaffirmed the government’s position that GBV in any form is unacceptable, that the culture of silence must be broken, and that justice must be served with all perpetrators held accountable under the laws of the Republic of Liberia.
“This occasion offers a timely opportunity for social protection actors particularly those in advocacy, gender justice, and the faith-based and traditional spaces to recognize that true transformation in the fight against GBV and IPA cannot occur in isolation from the social, cultural, and religious beliefs that shape people’s lives.”
She concluded: “On behalf of the Government of Liberia, I reaffirm our unwavering commitment to eliminating all forms of violence against women and girls not only as a policy priority but as a moral and national obligation to uphold equality, dignity, and justice.”
Meanwhile, Minister Horace-Kollie has called on investigators at the Liberia National Police to expedite the conclusion of the ongoing investigation into the alleged rape case involving the former Deputy Minister at the Ministry of Youth and Sports.
The gathering marked the conclusion of a two-day Pan-African meeting that brought together a cross-section of faitj-based and cultural leaders, the President of the University of Liberia, officers and members of SOAP and the South African Faith and Family Institute as well THINK-LIBERIA.
