FNs internationale børnedag markeres for første gang over hele landet. Antallet af overgreb mod børn er ekstremt højt og imamer og præster opfordres til at italesætte vold som ‘kulturel norm’.
MONROVIA, 20 November 2013 (Unicef): Church bells tolled and moazins in mosques called out for salaat (prayer) at noon today, as Liberians observed a minute of silence and prayer for every child who has suffered of rape, and committed (forpligtede) themselves to protect children against violence.
Liberia commemorated the Universal Children’s Day – the 24th anniversary of the UN Convention of the Rights of the Child – by offering a prayer and commitment to end violence against children.
“Every day four children are raped in our country and ten children have died in tragic death this year as a result of rape,” said the President of Liberia, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, in a recorded statement supporting the Day of Prayer and Action for Children (DPAC).
“To pay respect and pray for the perpetual peace of their young innocent bodies, and to show our commitment to protect our children and prevent these kind of heinous (forfærdelige) acts from happening again, I call on you to observe a minute of silence and a prayer at 12 o’clock noon on Wednesday, November 20th.”
1300 voldtægter i år
Ten years after the end of the civil conflict, sexual violence against children remains extremely high in this West African country.
In the first nine months of this year alone, hospitals in Monrovia recorded more than 1300 cases of rape – ninety per cent of the victims were under the age of 18. Ten children have already died from sexual violence in 2013.
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http://www.unicef.org/media/media_70990.html
