A two-day Peer-learning event to share experiences and learnings, successes, and identify best practices, and challenges among CSOs, network members, and multi-stakeholders concluded in Robertsport City, Grand Cape Mount County with more than 25 persons from across the five Spotlight counties.
Since 2019, the Development Education Network-Liberia (DEN-L), through UN Women, has continued to contribute to Pillar 6 of the European Union (EU) and the United Nations (UN) new, global, multi-year initiative that focuses on eliminating all forms of violence against women and girls (VAWGs) known as the EU/UN SPOTLIGHT INITIATIVE. It places all forms of VAWG at the center of efforts to achieve gender equality and women’s empowerment in line with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
The two-day Peer-learning event, which is part of DEN-L closeout activities held on the 20th and 21st of October 2023, enables CSOs, Network members, and Stakeholders to share their achievements, best practices, and lessons learned through the implementation of the project. It also permits them to share challenges, and opportunities and proffer recommendations for enhancing future programs. Besides, CSOs were able to generate a sustainable mechanism for dealing with EVAWG issues even in the absence of donors’ funding. This led to the formulation of a National Secretariat body known as ‘Liberia National CSOs GBV Secretariat Network’ to sustain coordination and collaboration among CSOs and Stakeholders, build a movement, create bylaws and constitutions, and manage GBV Dashboard among others.
The European Union (EU) and the United Nations (UN), Ministry of Gender, UN Women, DEN-L, Local Stakeholders, and agencies supporting the Spotlight program were extended special appreciation by participants through the event.
The occasion was graced by the Technical Assistant on Gender/ Acting Deputy Minister, Mr. Mahammed Odu Massalee, Ministry of Gender; Co-Chairperson of the National CSO Council of Liberia, Mr. John Alex Nyahn, Jr.; Chairperson of CSO National Reference Group on Spotlight, Mr. Tamba F. J. Johnson; Chairperson of Liberia NGO Network, Stephen B. Norman; HON. Bai L. Sherman, County Inspector of Grand Cape Mount County; Gender Coordinators (Montserrado, Nimba, Grand Cape Mount, Lofa, and Grand Gedeh counties), Mr. Johnson Z. Kesselly, Executive Director of DEN-L; Mayor J. Edwin Korha of the City of Robertsport, Secretariat leadership among others.