Cerue’s September Meet-up
In recent years, there have been rapid developments in international law and human rights instruments that address women issues and in particular on gender and all the terminologies. It has aimed to promote, inspire, and support development policy and practice, which furthers the goal of equality between women and men. This concept is very new in Liberia and there has been lots of training offered to different stakeholders on gender to make them appreciate and except this new idea. July 15, 2010 over 12 practitioners for central Liberia gathered at the invitation of Cerue Konah Garlo to discuss under the theme”How do local community dwellers understand gender dynamics?”
Most of the participants rather asked so many questions they need to answer in order to help them understand the true meaning of gender. One participant made a funny remark”is gender meaning to put women on board or put women on top?”- he also said that at Development Education Network Liberia (DEN-L), all women manage the gender program and no male staff. Is this suggesting that only women can do gender work or gender means women? We agreed that there is need to create more awareness on gender and the true intent and spirit taking into account the diverse Liberian culture.
One female participant emphasized the need to explain the negative connotation of this new concept. The issues of gender are about people power and it breathes conflict at the family and community levels. She said that the concept of gender has increased domestic violence in Liberia and when I asked her to be specific, she said that a woman came from a gender workshop and when her husband asked her to take his bath water in the bathroom, she said no, I just learnt over the past five days that I have rights and I think you should take the water yourself and it led to a fight. All the participants agreed or recommended the following: rethink our gender strategy, bring more men on board and educate them on the concept of gender.
