Press Release re Minister Lawrence Bropleh

We are writing in reference to a statement made by Liberia’s Information Minister, Lawrence Bropleh on the rape of a 9 year old girl and associated insinuations that men who want to rape should seek older women and sex workers for such ‘services’. As women of Liberia, we are grateful and recognize the high level of political will and robust women’s rights agenda of President Sirleaf. We also appreciate the collective approach that has been employed by diverse stakeholders to address Violence against Women. It is within our authority as a stakeholder working against VAW and contributing to the protection and improvement of women’s condition and position in the Liberian society that we address the underlying implications of the Minister’s statement. The Minister’s statement undermines the gravity of rape of women and its bi-directional links with HIV; and the national context of prostitution and survival sex and their link to poverty.



We the members of the WWW Coalition, comprising several women’s organizations involved in rights-based advocacy have elected to react to the Minister’s statement which in our view put women at high risk in a country where rape is now the single most reported crime. The coalition’s primary priority is to address the national mindset by raising societal awareness about the criminality of violence against women and girls, especially sexual violence and its multiple impacts. We see Min. Bropleh’s statement as one that threatens the rights of women, including sex workers, as the option given to alleged rapists to seek sexual services in other places especially among adult women reinforces sexual objectification of Liberian women, and undermines the campaign to end violence against women. In the discourse on rape, it is essential to introduce the reality of unequal power relations which translates to domestic violence, rape and other forms of violence against women, molded in a deeply patriarchal context. Therefore, there is need to recognize this and ensure that the rights of women are protected, not only by lip-service but also in a practical ways that helps women contribute to Liberia’s development. There is an increasingly impelling need for greater women’s participation in the nation’s post-war reconstruction drive, as it lends credibility to the process.



We, the members of the WWW Coalition, agree with the Information Minister on a zero tolerance stance on rape, however the recent statement is counterproductive to the ongoing anti-GBV campaign. In our analysis, it is suggestive of an emerging trend in Liberia which adds more weight to rape of children as opposed to women who have sexual experience. The rape law protects everyone and does not grant extra favors based on age. The severity and brutality of this violation on women is diminished especially in rural settings, serving as a barrier to the implementation of the rape law. The statement by the Information Minister undermines our efforts and the Government of Liberia acknowledgement of women’s rights through its ratification of the Convention on All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) and the AU Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa.



Our position is not limited to a critical press release. We would like for GOL spokespersons, including Min. Bropleh, to review opportunities in the future to understand the multi-dimensional impact of VAW and the need to contextualize this struggle from a right-based perspective. If there is a need to share learnings on our experiences and knowledge based on work around the country, we are willing to do so. We stand ready to do so by providing requisite technical trainings and sharing research outcomes. This step will strengthen the GOL engagement with civil society and avert the possibility of women becoming potential targets of rape perpetrators, thereby infringing on the basic human rights of women, posing security threat and removing their rights of choice and bodily integrity.



Finally, the statement made by the Minister of Information, Culture & Tourism reinforces the ill-conceived notion that a woman is a sexual object, available for people seeking sexual services. It supports an emerging and disturbing trend which suggests an accommodation of rape against adult and sexually experienced women. The statement does not incorporate rights-based learnings, national frameworks and responses in its analysis of the rape of the 9 year old girls and the options identified. The options given are insensitive to the extreme poverty conditions that Liberians, especially women, find themselves in. The struggle to end VAW is comprehensive. The GOL role is commendable and we support President Johnson Sirleaf and the Ministry of Gender and Development in the agenda to end all forms of violence against women. We welcome the quality participation of other GOL officials including the Minster of Information and will support his interest in a holistic understanding of patriarchy and its link to VAW and HIV. We would hope that GOL officials, with high positional authority will be sensitive in their public statements on VAW so as not to undermine the gains of the struggle to end violence against women.


ActionAid Liberia (AAL), Aiding Disadvantaged Women & Girls (ADWANGA), Bassa Women Development Association (BAWODA), Women of Liberia Peace Network, Women AID Inc. (WAI), Women and Children Development Association of Liberia (WOCDAL), Liberian Women Empowerment Network (LIWEN), Liberia Women Media Action Committee (LIWOMAC)
For contact or any i

What EXACTLY did Minister Bropleh actually say? Was he actually REALLY saying that men who seek to satisfy their urges should seek out older and more experienced women and/or prostitutes? With regard to the comparison b/w the rape of women and the rape of children, isn't their a qualitative difference? While ALL rape is criminal, should not there be significant penalty enhancements to bare when someone is ocnvicted of raping a child? Finally, could Minister Bropleh's statement (however inartfully constructed, which is fairly commonplace with us as Liberians), not have been an attempt to suggest that in fact, rape and sexual violence has no place in a civilized society?

I appreciate what the WWW is saying here but I wonder about the space being left for us all to sit together in the palava hut in order to reason together if (as is customary in the United States) we are willing to interpret every poorly engineered comment as a deep and extreme assault on everything we hold sacred and important.

Traveller, i think the WWW statement is saying just that...let's collaborate and work from informed positions. the minister cannot work effectively as a key member of the anti-rape campaign without understanding the context in which we work. the rape law protects everyone...women, children, boys, men. the argument that the rape of a 2 month old baby is more brutal than the rape of a 20 year old girl is easily understood; however, to define options that make the rape of sexually experienced women and sex workers vulnerable to sexual violence undermines the work that is being done here and violates their rights. to me, it seems like a devaluation of women...as long as you know about sex, it is not that bad...or as long as you are in the 'business', u have put yourself in the position to be raped.

he may not have intended to cause this calling out but we need to work together so as not to jeopardize the gains of our work. in liberia, the ordinary person listens to people in authority/in government and considers what has been said as law and gospel. so much is being done to support the implementation of the rape and inheritance laws. one of the major barriers to doing this is the cultural perspective (i know about the southeast) that only a virgin can be raped. this is dangerous when you link even marital rape to vulnerability of women to HIV infection.

so...we are not only confronting but we are ready to work with the minister and the GOL, in our position as civil society organizations to ensure that weare effective in ending VAW for everyone.

krazzy wrote:

Traveller, i think the WWW statement is saying just that...let's collaborate and work from informed positions. ......................................

Looks like I'm the one who jumped to a tentative conclusion. I look forward to being a part of that broader collaboration.

Our position is not limited to a critical press release. We would like for GOL spokespersons, including Min. Bropleh, to review opportunities in the future to understand the multi-dimensional impact of VAW and the need to contextualize this struggle from a right-based perspective. If there is a need to share learnings on our experiences and knowledge based on work around the country, we are willing to do so. We stand ready to do so by providing requisite technical trainings and sharing research outcomes. This step will strengthen the GOL engagement with civil society and avert the possibility of women becoming potential targets of rape perpetrators, thereby infringing on the basic human rights of women, posing security threat and removing their rights of choice and bodily integrity.

the usual press releases are characterised by acrimony. although we are angry, we are willing to work with the anti-rape campaign to bring synergy to the messages we send out on VAW. in a village in liberia, putu punuken, we tried to define rape. in the men's group that i facilitated, i was told, 'when u see someone small child or daughter who ain't know man bisness and u do something bad to her'. so i pushed a little and said, since i am sleeping here tonite...if a man in the town says, i like that krazzy woman and comes to the room you all have given me and force me to have sex, how do you call that? they said, it is bad but since you already marry with chayren, we will just tell you sorry. trust me, i slept in zwedru that night. i do not think anyone in the town would have raped me but i wonder about women who live there. do they have any protection under this much talked about rape law? anyways...

So what happens with your research now? How is the government and/or the general public made aware of your research findings? Who funds the technical trainings and outreach activities you currently do? Maybe I'm just unfamiliar with all this because I am not home but it seems to me that whether the government decides to invite you in for collaborative discussions or not, your findings and perspectives should be a part of the national conversation. So I gather there are these outreach/training visits, there is a fair amount of research being done, I even imagine there is a PR/media outreach campaign of sorts going on as well, right? How about tapping into some of Liberia's "stars" to produce PSAs and ANRs that further amplify the message about women's rights?

we provided the research to the government to use in their data collection for the Poverty Reduction Strategy paper...this is their development plan for the next three years. we also use the outcome of our research to support our programming options...so we have about 4 major activities in different stages of implementation...girls education and womeneconomic empowerment; access to justice for women; violence against girls in schools and the advocacy component...women won't wait. we work in the southeast and western parts of liberia. the southeast has the highest HIV prevalence rates and is the least accessible and least covered by NGOs.

our partners have different expertise, including media, communications etc. this is a good point. started reading elma's book and thot in similar direction. will broaden our network in the new year. right now, we have expanded our work from the women HIV network to include the WWW coalition and now an alliance on HIV advocacy. good point...i will follow thru. doing this for all level of audiences, including government official will be effective.

we will pay for the training..that is why we raised some of that money i was jumping around for.

it is a challenging environment, Traveller. we were negotiating yesterday with the Ministry of Gender to do this for their staff on both HIV and VAW. got a luke warm response which was far away from enthusiasm. when we do workshops and retreats and invite their key staff, they send someone who wil not utilize the message...it is all about the money. for us...90% of our expenditure goes to programmes and actual project, not admin and expected cuts for people in power.

thnx for the questions...will help me in planning

What remarkable work you are doing Krazzy. It is vital and awe inspiring. I think addressing Mr. Bropleh's comment is crucial and necessary. Not to stir up dissension but to stir up informed conversation.

Words are power and once they are thrown out by authoritative individuals,, are like grains of sands cast into the water...extremely difficult if not impossible to regather.

I have a feeling Mr. Bropleh's comment was ill stated, a matter of poor semantic thought. But the lack of gravity placed on his choice of words I am afraid does indicate and perpetuate a lack of understanding of the scope, signifigance and gravity of the issues surrounding sexual violence against women of all ages, social and or economic status.

I hope that he will see the group's rejoinder as an invitation to become an informed, enlightened and effective vehicle for solutions to this grave problem which effects each of us to the very core of humanism.

I applaud the group's efforts to give voice to the issue. I believe that for women...silence is no weapon, but an enabler for their oppressors.

On point, Nica!!! thnx for the power of YOUR words.

Words are power and once they are thrown out by authoritative individuals,, are like grains of sands cast into the water...extremely difficult if not impossible to regather.-nica

But the lack of gravity placed on his choice of words I am afraid does indicate and perpetuate a lack of understanding of the scope, signifigance and gravity of the issues surrounding sexual violence against women of all ages, social and or economic status.-nica

How about tapping into some of Liberia's "stars" to produce PSAs and ANRs that further amplify the message about women's rights?

Traveller da which one here? in blue we have done a film on the link between HIV and VAW...done by a liberian producer in conjunction with our HIV focal point and the women HIV network. the women also worked as actresses in the film. will be out in 2009. we intend to use the film at the various video clubs...the current rage in liberia. if it is not soccer, it is karate or war. we will pay video clubs to run the film. it will also be used for sensitization on national tv stations.

Sorry my sis. PSA= public service announcement

ANR- audio news release

okay...shared some of your ideas today with the group...thnx.

Had another thought Krazzy....any chance of getting real men on the radio or on tv with THEIR daughters/nieces in the background, reciting a short message about the value of respecting the dignity of women??

Traveller wrote:

Had another thought Krazzy....any chance of getting real men on the radio or on tv with THEIR daughters/nieces in the background, reciting a short message about the value of respecting the dignity of women??

Good idea. You should write the treatment.

yr tanq o! dat is why i love this village

Aww....Krazzay...please turn around so we can see ur beautiful face ya