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From the 28th – 29th, of April 2021, The Faith and Justice Network in collaboration with the Liberia Council of Churches (LCC), the Inter-Religious Council of Liberia (IRCL), the Council of Churches of Guinea (CCG), and the Association of Evangelicals of Liberia (AEL), hosted a four-day regional conference in Freetown Sierra Leone with over 35 religious’ leaders in attendance. The regional conference was designed and deliberated on the theme “Harmful traditional practices against women and girls in the Mano River Basin countries” for religious leaders from Sierra Leone, Guinea, and Liberia.
The conference included a keynote address made by Bishop Arnold C. Temple, President, All Africa Conference of Churches, round table panel discussions on Traditional and Cultural Practices that inhibit life, and the misuse of scriptural texts that appeared to justify gender-based violence. The conference reflected on the root causes and factors contributing to gender-based Violence in the MRU. There was also a networking session with the Forum Against Harmful Practices in Sierra Leone on the practical realities of harmful traditional practices against women and girls in the Mano River Basin. Religious leaders at the conference frowned at ancient social and cultural societies in charge of the rite of passage for womanhood from childhood through Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) due to the complications and infectious diseases caused by cutting, the associated traumatic experience, and psychological issues of depression, which touches on human rights violation.
The regional conference focused on experience sharing on cultural and traditional harmful practices that impact the lives of women and children in a negative and oppressive manner and a reflection on the use of the Holy Scriptures to address the harmful cultural practices. The conference unpacked some of the root causes of Gender-based Violence and identified the role of faith-based organizations in addressing gender inequality and harmful cultural practices resulting in discrimination and oppression of women and girls in our society.
The conference participants were exposed to data and information about the presence of gender inequalities that affected more than half of the population suffering from extreme poverty, and marginalization of a significant portion of the population due to oppression and discrimination. The religious leaders recognized with grave concerns that gender inequalities have had a negative impact on the churches, mosques, and society, leading to a culture of impunity, therefore agreed to speak out in a united voice against any vices that undermine the fundamental human rights of citizens.
Both Rev. Moses F. Khanu of the Wesleyan Church of Sierra Leone and Madam Aminata Koroma, General Secretary of the Forum Against Harmful Traditional Practices in Sierra Leone served as lead facilitators during the conference.
