World Day activities in Liberia

Activity Recap

Report from UNICEF:

In Liberia, Day of Prayer and Action for Children activities were organized as part of an ongoing partnership between UNICEF and the Religions for Peace affiliated Inter Religious Council of Liberia. Religious leaders around the country gave sermons in mosques and churches focused on family and community based care, and protection of children from violence, sexual abuse, exploitation and HIV.

In some regions in Eastern Liberia hosting Ivorian refugees, community radio stations aired talk shows and debates on the role of religious leaders in protecting children during emergency and humanitarian situations. A National Conference of the Inter Faith Council is scheduled in early 2012 to bring together religious leaders to discuss concrete actions to protect and promote the rights of all children in the country.

Comment from Rev Boimah, Liberia:

Because of time factor, we did not have the chance to produce materials, except the Bible verses that the children recited, such as Proverbs 22:6 “Train up a Child in the way he should go and when he is old, he will not turn from it” This Bible verse formed part of the lecture session and a child argued that it violated the right of the female child because it only referred to their male counterparts, hence it was discriminatory. They also argued that this Biblical Mandate may be the cause for parents to pay more attention to male children then female children, especially when it comes to education. This brought new idea to me that even the children are cognizant of their rights when it comes to biblical perspective. We need to take this into serious consideration as religious people and institutions and should share on the web.

Secondly, we used some poster donated by a friend who works with children, we shall also send you photograph of it.

Keywords: Liberia, Africa, UNICEF, faith based organization, FBO, violence against children,positive parenting, Christian, Islam