WPWHDO Enlightens Young Women, Girls on Preventing SGBV

As part of efforts to end Sexual Gender-based Violence (SGBV) in Liberia, West Point Women for Health and Development Organization (WPWHDO), a non-profit organization, has concluded a two-day seminar on SGBV and negative social traditional norms which target women and girls. 

The two-day event which was held with residents of West Point Community brought together participants of both genders, and was focused on ending all forms of social norms, including domestic violence against women and girls in Liberia. 

Speaking to reporters briefly at the end of the seminar, the organization’s Executive Director, Madam Nelly Cooper, said the training was geared towards providing adequate information to participants about the important role each partner plays in a relationship and preventing SGBV. 

The Seminar, according to her, is being sponsored by the European Union through Oxfam and partners, which is aimed at working with both genders in training them to put a complete end to all forms of sexual, gender-based violence and negative social norms targeted against women and girls in Liberia.

Madam Cooper: “It is our hope that at the end of this training, participants will learn how to engage each other in a relationship where each partner will understand his or her role and at the same time help put an end to domestic violence.” 

She also noted that SGBV has over the years been perpetrated mainly by men. She added that the organization is doing all it can to enlighten the minds of the males that females are not considered slaves in a relationship, but partners who need all the necessary support to make them the woman they ought to be.

Madam Cooper further disclosed that participants were excited and they willingly shared their individual experiences and promised to practice what they have acquired during the seminar for the betterment of their lives.

She disclosed that most of the participants blamed the increasing wave of violence in the country on men’s inability to exercise restraint in relationships.

She, however, clarified that with the knowledge gained, male counterpart admitted to the reality of sometimes committing the act either knowingly or unknowingly.

Alice Dweh, one of the participants, thanked the team for organizing such an event and promised to use the knowledge acquired in a positive way.

Miss Dweh, 25, said the training has helped her realize various mistakes in her individual life and is now willing to learn from those mistakes as well as develop on what she learned from the training.