1. medica mondiale in Liberia -
Working for women‘s rights and empowerment

2. Facts and Figures
Area: West Africa (43 km²) Population: ~ 4 million ethnic groups with different languages: Krahn, Kru, Grebo, Sapo, Mandingo, Bassa… HDI: (of 187 countries) Gender Inequality Index: 139 (of 146 countries) Maternal mortality rate: of (Germany: 7) Child mortality rate: of 1000 (Germany: 4)

3. History of the Civil War
1989 Charles Taylor overthrows Samuel Doe;
begin of a bloody civil war that lasts for 14 years
„Accra“ peace agreement signed and UN mission sent to
Liberia (UNMIL)
2006 Ellen Johnson Sirleaf is elected first female president in Africa

4. Rape and sexualized violence during the war
„We were running, running, running…“

5. Violence against women after the war
„Nobody is safe here“

6. Sexualised violence in Liberia today
A favorable political framework but:
Health care services not working properly
Justice system not working properly
Insufficient counseling services for women to deal with war trauma and with ongoing gender based violence
Little awareness for violence against women, taboos prevailing, shame
No protection for women!!!
Central Prison in River Gee, 2006

7. What is medica mondiale Liberia doing to improve the situation?

8. Project area: South-Eastern Liberia

9. … getting there

10. Musu‘s story

11. violence against women
Normality of
violence against women

12. We train community women as counselors and focal points for SGBV

13. Lack of knowledge, disregard for women‘s needs, insensitivity

14. We train the police

15. Lack of knowledge, lack of resources
Hospital

16. Our trainings in clinical management of rape
and the trauma-sensitive approach
are certified by the Ministry of Health

17. Lack of knowledge and awareness, corruption
Local court officials

18. We train court officials

19. psychosocial counselling
We provide
psychosocial counselling

20. We support the Gender Ministry to coordinate the „SGBV-Taskforce“

21. We seek income generating activities

22. We promote the prevention of violence through community awareness campaigns

23. We include traditional authorities and elders in trainings and sensitization

24. Women solidarity groups
medica mondiale Liberias‘
Protection network
Community counselors
Women solidarity groups
Individual survivor
Safe houses
Income generating activities
Psychosocial counseling
Health training + counseling
Legal training + counseling
County level
Community level
Other (I)NGOs
Referrals
Referrals
Referrals
Health clinics
and hospitals
Courts
Police
Referrals
SGBV-Taskforces
Documentation of Human Rights violations;
Support of policy development
National level

25. What we need your support for?

26. - to reach out to more communities - to continue improving human rights for women - to contribute to ending gender based violence - to promote social change

27. Project goal
Medica Liberia is a dynamic, independent and viable women's rights organisation,
focussing on protection and empowering
of women and girls affected by gender-specific violence.

28. The new Liberian Country Director Caroline Bowah Brown

29. Learning how to plan projects

30. Learning how to set up a budget

31. Learning how to monitor the work

32. Developing a strategy together

33. Mary‘s message

34. Thank you! medica mondiale e.V. Hülchrather Str. 4 50670 Köln

35. An inclusive, peaceful and violent-free society for women and girls
medica mondiale Liberia
Vision
An inclusive, peaceful and violent-free society for women and girls
Mission
medica mondiale Liberia is a feminist organization with transformed and
self-determined women providing quality services through capacity building,
counseling, awareness raising and advocacy for women and girls
affected by all forms of gender based violence.