SACLEPEA CITY, NIMBA COUNTY – In an effort to strengthen justice and protection for women and girls in Liberia, the Efficient Research and Development Institute (ERDI), with support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), has conducted a comprehensive training on sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) reporting and prevention in Saclepea City, Nimba County. The training, held on July 11, 2025, brought together 60 participants including women’s rights advocates, justice actors, and traditional authorities.
The one-day session aimed to enhance the skills and awareness of 10 women-led civil society organizations (CSOs) and local justice officials in identifying and responding to SGBV cases. Participants included 40 women advocates, six officers from the Women and Children Protection Unit of the Liberia National Police across six police stations, three magistrates, one representative from the SGBV Court, two district commissioners, two officials from the Ministry of Gender, and six traditional chiefs and elders.
The training provided participants with practical knowledge on how to monitor the SGBV Court in Nimba, understand the referral pathway, and support victims in accessing justice. Women CSO leaders were also trained to identify potential SGBV cases and report them to the proper authorities. The initiative is part of ERDI’s ongoing partnership with the Independent National Commission on Human Rights (INCHR) aimed at promoting justice and human rights in rural communities.
Commissioner Kemah Kuoh of the Wee-Gbeyi Administrative District shared personal testimony about a relative who is a longtime survivor of sexual violence, emphasizing the widespread impact of such crimes in the county. She called for a more committed and coordinated effort to support victims and hold perpetrators accountable.
Ma Beatrice L. Kruah, Executive Director of the Jesus Kwazeeh Child Care Center and a prominent women’s rights advocate in Nimba, applauded the training and recommended that members of the SGBV Court’s nine-person jury also be included in future programs. She noted that increasing the jury’s knowledge would improve public trust in the court and strengthen its effectiveness in adjudicating sensitive SGBV cases.
The training was conducted under UNDP’s program titled “Strengthening the Rule of Law in Liberia: Justice and Security for the Liberian People,” which seeks to build inclusive and accountable justice and security institutions throughout the country. As SGBV continues to pose a major challenge in Nimba County, such initiatives are seen as critical steps toward ensuring survivors receive the support, protection, and justice they deserve.
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