The Liberia Coalition of Human Rights Defenders (LICHRD) recently conducted a one-day workshop to raise awareness about Liberia’s National Human Rights Defenders policy. Sponsored by the International Service for Human Rights from Geneva, Switzerland, the event aimed to educate human rights defenders on the draft policy and advocate for its governmental approval.
During the workshop, LICHRD Board Chairman Mr. Neidoteh B. Torbor highlighted the critical role of human rights defenders and emphasized the need for the government to implement comprehensive policies to protect them. “Our 1986 Constitution’s Bill of Rights, particularly Article Three, outlines fundamental rights but lacks detailed provisions for human rights defenders,” Torbor explained. “It’s essential that the government enacts laws to safeguard these defenders.”
Torbor underscored the absence of specific legal protections for human rights defenders in Liberia, calling for the draft policy’s swift approval. “We have developed and submitted a draft policy to the government. It is crucial for them to approve it to protect human rights defenders, including journalists and other advocates,” he stated. He stressed that Liberia is obligated under international treaties to protect, promote, and defend human rights, ensuring citizens’ safety when asserting their freedoms.
Acting Executive Director of LICHRD, Duwana Kingsley, provided an overview of the workshop, stating that its purpose was to inform participants about the draft national human rights policy awaiting government approval. Kingsley emphasized the need for active involvement from various human rights groups to push the policy forward. “We have about 30 members, and 15 are participating in today’s workshop,” Kingsley noted. “Those we orient today will be the ones spreading awareness about Liberia’s human rights policy.”
A year ago, human rights defenders presented the draft policy to the Ministry of Justice for enactment, but it remains pending. Kingsley highlighted the support LICHRD receives from the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and other local advocacy groups.
The workshop included discussions on the draft policy’s provisions and the current status of human rights defenders in Liberia. Participants learned about the policy’s potential impact on their work and the broader human rights environment in the country. LICHRD aims to create a network of informed advocates to champion the policy’s enactment.
Attendees committed to spreading information about the policy and advocating for its approval within their communities. They also discussed strategies for engaging with policymakers and other stakeholders to ensure the policy’s passage.
The workshop underscored the urgent need for comprehensive protections for human rights defenders in Liberia. LICHRD and its partners remain dedicated to seeing the draft National Human Rights Defenders policy enacted, fostering a safer and more supportive environment for those who advocate for human rights in the country.
