-As KTK Concludes Women’s Consultative Conference
By Vaye Abel Lepolu
Monrovia, Liberia – Women living with disabilities are calling on the Government of Liberia to take urgent steps to promote their empowerment, education, and social inclusion.
Speaking at a recent Women’s consultative conference held by KTK over the past three days, disability rights advocate Evelyn Venice and others urged authorities to sign and implement the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) and establish a national commission on disabilities.
They stressed that women with disabilities, particularly those living on the streets, face daily struggles due to stigma, lack of opportunities, and exclusion from national development. “We are important in society, and until Liberia recognizes our rights, progress will remain incomplete,” Venice said.
The group also highlighted the need for sign language education and inclusive services at hospitals, police stations, and schools. They emphasized that programs targeting young women should not leave out those with disabilities, especially the deaf.
“We are educated, capable, and ready to make a difference. All we ask is to be included and empowered,” the statement concluded.
Meanwhile, Christine Vanjah, a resident of Doport Road Community and mother of three children, also rallied the government to form strategies to get visually impaired women off the streets.
That’s government and partners should stop giving handouts to women in the streets instead they should provide them sustainable livelihoods.
Also speaking, Deddeh Robert, President of Liberia Deaf Women in Action, called for sign language interpreters at health facilities, Police stations to ensure persons living with disability are considered a part of national development.
“PWD should be involved in every women’s group and activities” Deddeh Robert cautioned.
Patricia Mahn of Bahn, Nimba County, called for the sustainability of the conference.
She explained that sustaining the conference would keep the hope of women alive.
Zowee Johnson called for taking action against people who sexually abuse visually impaired people and their children. She explained that this devilish act if unchecked, would dump the hopes of visually impaired women and the futures of their children.
At the same Liberian women call to action, women attending the KTK Consultive Conference hash called for strong unity bond among women as their division don’t determine the progress they would make.
Such collaboration ensures greater progress.
They also indicated that funding and resources through the government of Liberia should be more proactive as all of the burden can’t be placed on the shoulders of government alone.
The women urged the speedy passage of the Female Genital Mutilation bill into law.
In accordingly, mong the different recommendations, they call for early reporting on violence against girls and women, rallied for the protection of civil society activists, whistleblowers and human rights defenders, media visibility, cultural and social norms, translation of the public health law into simplified version, establishment of SRHR and GBV clubs in schools, leverage for partnership across Liberia to support women’s issues, dollar rally, women’s donation platforms formalization, traditional midwives should be placed in the budget.
Additionally, the women called for adult literacy programs, continuous learning, leadership in rural women’s organizations should be rotational, land rights and ownership, and good farm-to-market roads
