MONROVIA, Montserrado – ActionAid Liberia presented four motorcycles to the Rural Women of Liberia on Monday.

Making the presentation, ActionAid’s project coordinator, Aisha Kolubah, said the move would help address logistical constraints faced by the women in addressing sexual and gender-based cases at the community level in the counties.

Kolubah said in addition to the bikes and their necessary accessories, including rain suits and helmets, ActionAid would also be responsible for fueling, lubricants, and maintenance.

“This is to show that we recognize your efforts as rural women for being in the frontline of resolving SGBV issues in your communities,” she said.

She said the presentation was also in continuation of the organization’s project to address discrimination and strengthen sub-national state and non-state actors to support the government’s effort to ending violence against women, girls, and other key populations.

According to Kolubah, the project is funded by the Swedish International Development Agency through the Embassy of Sweden in Monrovia.

It also aims at building the capacity of civil society organizations for a rights-based development through a strong advocacy-oriented civil society, she said.

Kolubah said since 2014, the project has made several achievements in the four target counties (Montserrado, Grand Gedeh, Bong, and Gbarpolu), including strengthening the rural women structures and the forming community level advocacy groups that can engage local leaders to provide gender responsive services.

She also said the program built the capacity of more than 200 health workers to deliver sexual reproductive health services in communities, in addition to training and equipping 30 human right monitors under the Ministry of Justice to monitor and report violence, abuse and exploitation.

The president of the Rural Women of Liberia in Gbarpolu praised ActionAid for the partnership. Bendu Jah said although the women in her group have not been to school, the importance ActionAid continues to attach to their role in their communities brings pride to them.

Gbarpolu Rural Women president, Bendu Jah. Photo: Gbatemah Senah

“ActionAid has continued to remain a supporting partner to us. They continue to make us brave to tell truth to people on the protection the rights of women and our children,” Jah said.

The Rural Women president in Grand Gedeh, Jesadeh Barzon, also recalled that in addition to the motorcycles, ActionAid provided programs to educate them on their rights, which led them into advocacy for the good of their communities.

“They also trained us to know the partners which we are to network with to make our voices be heard,” Barzon said.

Featured photo by Gbatemah Senah