Liberian Feminist Forum, Traditional Chiefs Want Simplicity Of The Laws
By T. Q. Lula Jaurey
Liberia: The Liberian Feminist Forum (LFF) along with traditional chiefs in a day-long town hall meeting has called for the simplification in disseminating liberian laws.
The Meeting which took place at the corina hotel in Sinkor, also called for equal rights in every space for women.
According to traditional leaders and women, simplifying the laws will help with awareness and sensitization of women in rural and low-income communities.
The plead would mean rigorous information dissemination of all laws that concern the rights of women and vulnerable population across the country.
Issues of land rights, domestic violence, sexual and gender based violence and and access to information are contributing barriers to women in rural areas.
The LFF began an initiative in 2019 to provide an in-depth understanding of the laws and policies that protect women’s rights in Liberia.
The Thursday, December 29, 2022 gathering was the third in a series of activities that brought together over 70 women from diverse backgrounds within six (6) of Liberiaโs 15 counties (Bong, Bomi, Grand Bassa, Margibi, Montserrado and Gbarpolu).
The sessions of the Meeting provided information on rape, the inheritance law, the domestic relation laws, among others.
For her part, Abla G. Williams, who was the Lead Facilitator at the Meeting, encouraged women especially young women to seek information about their legal rights.
With that, most participants mentioned that the discussions around the Domestic Relations Law stood out for them, while others spoke about women’s land rights and inheritance law.
In an interview with a cross-section of participants, they appreciated the Meeting as it was an eye-opener for them relative to the various laws that protect women.
Feedback including statements and closing remarks, indicated an increased knowledge and understanding of women’s legal rights.
According to the team, similar sessions were conducted in Grand Cape Mount and Gbarpolu Counties, reaching out to over 150 women.
LFF is a part of the feminist, women, and social justice movements in Liberia. The LFF overall goal is to advocate for the transformation of all social relations of power that exploit, oppress, and marginalize any set of people. As such, LFF serves as an advocacy, knowledge-production, and movement-building platform. The fundamental purpose of the forum is to increase critical feminist political analysis within the ongoing discourse on gender equality and human rights in Liberia.
