The Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection with support from UN Women has ended a day-long interactive forum in Kakata Margibi County with about thirty-five traditional leaders in attendance.
The forum according to the research officer in the Gender-Based Violence Division of the Ministry of Gender-focused on the impunity of sexual violence. Mrs. Lovete Sie told newsmen that the fight against gender-based violence is not winning.
She said some of the factors responsible for that could be compromise among community members as such, the department thought to have a one day forum with traditional leaders to be able to talk to them, get to know from them what the issues are and some of the things the Ministry can put into place to ensure there is no impunity.
“Because once you are a violator, you are an abuser, you are to face the Law” she added.
According to her, some of the traditional leaders who participated in the forum named poverty, a weak justice system, fear, family engagement and family intervention among others as some of the factors that contribute to impunity.
Mrs. Sie narrates, ‘so when I say impunity, there are people who will violate and at the end of the day you see them go scot-free, nothing is done to them at all, that’s impunity”.
The research officer in the Gender-Based Violence Division said she thinks that there are laws that govern the state and by that anyone who comes in conflict with the law once he/she is found guilty he/she must face the law and go to jail.
She noted that the traditional leaders during the forum revealed that the issue of rape is high, couple with domestic violence and persistence non-support.
Madam Sie indicated that the forum is one approach in mitigating the factors outlined by the participants adding that it’s with the community members and the mindset of the people will have to be changed.
She averred that the Ministry of Gender has the mandate and will continue to create the awareness and will advocate ensuring that they are kicked off.
The Lady said the traditional leaders being decision makers were asked to go out and be an agent of change and help the Ministry of Gender in creating awareness. She meanwhile called on every citizen to get into the fight on grounds that the Ministry of Gender cannot do it alone.
