Liberia: making headway in addressing sexual violence
By Shipra Bose, Senior Gender Adviser, UNDP Liberia

The fighting in Liberia’s civil war is long over, but violence still echoes through the nation, affecting even the youngest Liberians. Recent studies indicate that about 75 percent of women have faced some form of gender-based abuse before reaching the age of majority. An estimated 85 percent of rape survivors are under 18 years of age.

UNDP, through its Rule of Law Programme, is partnering with the Ministries of Justice and Gender and Development, along with other UN agencies, civil society organizations and women’s organizations to address and curtail the rise in these crimes.

Liberia has increased efforts to protect women and girls, prevent recurring abuses, punish perpetrators and reduce impunity. First among these efforts is the implementation of 2006’s Rape Amendment Act, which expanded the definition of rape and provided for: stiffer punishment; the establishment of a specialized court, Criminal Court E, to try sex offences; and the creation of a gender-based prosecution (GBV) unit in the Ministry of Justice to assist in investigating and prosecuting these cases as expeditiously as possible.

UNDP, as part of a joint UN initiative to address sexual and gender-based violence in Liberia, works with the GBV unit of the Ministry of Justice to strengthen its technical capacity to handle increasing reports of sexual violence and to ensure the preservation of evidence for effective prosecution. To date, the GBV unit is fully functional and has begun to accept cases through referral by other courts and through direct report via its hotline service, which receives several calls daily. The unit is currently prosecuting seven cases before the Criminal Court E. Through the joint UN initiative, support is also provided to the Ministry of Justice to recruit attorneys in 10 counties, train 28 prosecutors on gender-based related offenses, juvenile justice and professional ethics; and develop a sexual and gender-based prosecution manual.

Still, the challenges in Liberia are daunting. Implementation of the strengthened rape laws has proven difficult, with some juries considering statutory punishments too steep and therefore opting for acquittal. While change in social norms and attitudes takes time, immediate attention needs to be placed on providing survivors of sexual violence with the means and confidence to bring their cases forward. CPR

Photo credit: UN Photo/Eric Kanlstein/Liberia

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In this Issue

> Fighting impunity: DRC
> Gender-Based Violence in Kosovo
> Sexual violence in Liberia
> Sexual Violence in Somalia
> Access to justice in Sri Lanka

Quick Links

Rule of Law in Conflict and Post-conflict Situations

Learn more about UNDP Rule of Law initiatives in Strengthening the Rule of Law in Conflict/Post-Conflict Situations: Global Programme 2008-2011 (pdf).

Gender and crisis

Donor proposal on Women and Girls in Crisis (pdf)