DATA ON HUMAN RIGHTS NGOs AND CBOs AS OF AUG.23, 2004

Sector 1- Montserrado County.

The Montserrado County is made of two districts - Careysburg and Todee, St. Paul River settlements and metropolitan capital Greater Monrovia.

It is apparent that for most of the area outside Monrovia there are no locally based human rights NGOs operating. Moreover, it is also obvious that for local population and local authorities the whole concept of human rights NGO is still very vague. In general the attitude towards HR NGOs is not very friendly as a legacy of previous years of oppression.

For the reason of absence of locally based HR NGOs (outside Monrovia) the Sector 1 HROs cooperates with Monrovia based HR NGOs. In particular, on a number of occasions HROs conducted joint field trips with the representatives of the Human Rights Research and Documentation Center. The Director of the Center participated in the HRO’s presentations for local leadership in Careysburg and Todee districts. The one of the main goals was to introduce the NGO to the member of local society and to demonstrate the UNMIL HRPS support toward NGO.

The Director of the Human Rights Research and Documentation Center Mr. Thomas Bureh also leads the Coalition of Liberian human rights organizations (e.g. 23). The activities of the Center are as follow: monitoring and investigating human rights abuses, investigating the past human rights violations, civic education and working with the communities leaders.

However, the Center is facing the difficulty in fulfilling their task due to many constrains, including logistic ones. The premise of the Center was looted during the war and currently is in need of reparation and maintenance. Thus, Center’s continue to seek any possible assistance in terms of finding the sponsors for obtaining equipment and means of transportation. (“shopping list” presented to the HRPS is attached)

In terms of capacity building, the Director of the Center raised several time concerns that the process of cooperation between international and national human rights actors slowed down after completion of the UNDP sponsored 4 workshops on human rights monitoring (last, in February 2004). There was a practice of holding periodic meetings of human rights groups and NGOs at UNDP since July 2003. But then it stopped in January 2004 as it was decided that such meeting shouldn’t be held at UNDP anymore. Instead, at the suggestion of the Acting Chief of the HRPS it was agreed to establish a Human Rights Working Group as a regular venue for the meetings between international and national NGOs. The Head of Center stressed the need to regenerate the idea.

In terms of development and rehabilitation activities there do appear to be some NGO efforts to facilitate this process. In particular, HRO is in touch with Mr. Victor N.Freeman, the Montserrado County coordinator for Liberian NGOs network (Link) and regional coordinator. While the NGOs are operating under the humanitarian, development and rehabilitation services umbrella this network could be considered as basis of building the capacity of civil society and local NGOs in rural areas.

Sector 2: Basic information on NGOs

Voinjama , Lofa County,

Women’s groups

VODWPEDE: (The Voinjama District Women Organization for Peace and Development)

Opened office in April 2004. Leader, Mrs. Sonnie Dehdeh, had fled to Monrovia during war but returned to Voinjama in April 2004. NGO is registered with the Ministry of Planning and Economic Affairs since 29 December 2003 and with the Ministry of Agriculture since 4 March 2004.

According to leader, during the war, Kebbeh, a Kpelle woman acted as the women’s rep for LURD. She has now returned to her village outside Voinjama.

Activities:

Registering widows, orphans, abandoned children and human rights abuses suffered by them. NGO also strives to unite Lormas and Mandingoes. Cleaning activities in Voinjama town, in which the majority of over 376 members (women) participate weekly.
Providing vocational training in sewing, tie and dye and other skills. WFP saw and donated food for around 100 trainees During dry season will commence some agricultural activities. UNHCR, IMC and IRC have visited the organization

Good working relations exist with:

Peace Winds Japan
PAKBATT and LURD
WFP,
UNHCR, IMC and IRC
Interested in human rights awareness sessions,

SHOCAS: re-established on 27 May, 2004 but founded on 7 August 2003
Sharpe Home Care Services is led by Mama Morris who worked for IRC from 1998 until 2000 to leave Voinjama in 1999. She returned on 14 May 2004 for an assessment. Leader attended the Women’s Conference in Monrovia earlier this year as well as gender equality workshops organized by UNHCR main office is in Monrovia: contact person Betty K. Sharpe, mobile 548396.

Conducts activities in agriculture, skill training and animal husbandry. Also works with women who were sexually abused during the war but has no trained counselors as staff. Peace Winds Japan contracted SOCHAS to renovate 2 schools outside Voinjama. Presently, they are short of funding Submitted proposals to IMC, hoping to be used as an implementing partner. Also has submitted proposals for QIP and are following up with OCHA. In Voinjama.

The NGO was visited by an official from the Gender Ministry, UNFPA and IRC. UNFPA inquired about SGBV victims and SHOCAS introduced and give the names of the victims to the visitor. This is surprising given that Mama used to work for IRC and ought to know that this is against the rules for staff dealing with SGBV cases.

Working relations exist with:
UNFPA, ICR, IMP, UNHCR,and Japan Peace Winds.

VOWODA : Voinjama Women District Association

Coordinator, Ms. Cecilia Dawolo. The organization focuses on empowering women and girls separated from their families and/or abused by fighters during the war and single mothers.
Activities carried out:

Services including agriculture and skills training (includes soap making, tie and dye etc and mainly targets younger girls). Currently short of funds but prior to the last war (97-98) had been receiving agricultural assistance from UNDP. NGO now depends on members from the local community to provide seeds and land plots for farming.

IMC: The International Medical Cooperation:
Coordinator Dina Prior. Other leader Elizabeth Walumbe who regularly assists PAKBATT in the hospital since the UN Military doesn’t have female medical staff, they appealed to IMC for assistance.

Main activities carried out:

Works in the area of health, water and sanitation (WATSAN). Renovated 4 former Government clinics. Ministry of Health contributed staff and IMC is paying them as an incentive. Services are strictly on outpatient basis and include curative services as well as maternal health care, including post-natal, family planning, distribution of condoms and follow-up of STIs. They have not yet begun with the Immunization of children. The clinics offered by IMC form part of the County Health Team together with UNMIL, ICRC and others. They monitor children under 5yrs old and breastfeeding mothers. IMC provides training for medical staff because they were out of practice after the war. IMC has planned to operate seven clinics of which four are now functioning within the Zorzor, Kolahun and Voinjama areas. They also have installed latrines, rehabilitated hand pumps and chlorinated wells in their areas of operation

Medical care and counseling services in the demobilization process were also discussed. IMC is interested in submitting a proposal for the DD process in Voinjama and HRO provided IMC with the relevant contacts in UNMIL, UNDP and WHO

IMC activities are funded by UNHCR in Zorzor and Kolahun and by OFDA in Voinjama.

Asked about GBV cases, IMC said that they are now documenting the type of injuries they witness in the clinics. IMC last month conducted a baseline survey of domestic violence in Montserrado County and is planning to conduct a similar survey in Voinjama. IMC had a SGBV staff who has left.

1. ICRC and LNRCS

ICRC was one of the first agencies to arrive in Voinjama in the aftermath of the conflict. Their staff of 35 includes 6 international. They are now handing over some of the activities to other organizations that recently established in the area.

Until July ICRC had not yet done Humanitarian Law (or Human Rights) training to peacekeepers in Voinjama but planned to do so once peacekeepers were less busy (after DD is completed).

PAKBATT received the 1st human rights training session for its senior officers on 18 and 19 August.

ICRC activities in four main areas:

1)Water and Habitat

Rehabilitation of wells and installation of hand pumps in villages. ICRC and Action Contre la Faim divided the County between themselves: ACF operates within the Western part and ICRC covers Voinjama, Zorzor and up to Gbarnga. They have also constructed latrines in a few towns.

2) Tracing

Family reunification in Lofa County. .Maintains a transit house – rehabilitated in Voinjama with capacity to hold maximum of 6 children. The majority of children to be reunified will be repatriated from Guinea. ICRC closely cooperates with the Liberian National Red Cross Society (LNRCS). The Voinjama Chapter was in exile but returned to VJ in March 2004. The network of the National Red Cross Society needs to be rebuilt but already have substantial amount of volunteers who receive 60 USD/month.

3) Ecosec – (Economic security)

This involves the re-establishment of farming activities in the county. In March 2004, ICRC distributed tools to 6,200 families. In April /May seeds for rice and vegetables were issued. Also distributed tarpaulins in Saleya and Foya and also plans to distribute Non Food Items (NFI) –e.g. buckets, soap, mats, mosquito nets etc to 16,000 families and seeds to 40,000 family heads in 2005.

4)Medical

ICRC has two clinics in Voinjama and will rehabilitate the referral hospital formerly completely destroyed in the war. Had planned to open/rehabilitate more clinics in other districts such as Kolahun but is now reviewing its plans due to lack of coordination among the NGOs and agencies. Ministry of Health has expressed preference that each Agency focus on one district but several agencies appear to have disregarded this. E.g. MSF is planning or has constructed clinics in Kolahun and Foya, IMC in Voinjama and planning in Zorzor. As a result ICRC recommended opening a clinic in Saleye. An ICRC clinic in a densely populated area in Kolahun was taken over by MSF but now MSF informed that it no longer have the resources to continue.

LNRCS

The Liberian National Red Cross Society (LNRCS), local chapter currently has 7 staff headed by David Jallah, the Relief Officer. They support ICRC in its WATSAN and tracing activities. The LNRCS had also prepared a QIPin July and was waiting for a response from UNMIL. Asked about the assessment they did on returnees, LNRCS clarified that they only monitor the number of persons crossing the Guinean border and voluntarily repatriating and not the reintegration of those returnees.

Main activities:

LNRCS disseminates information in the county on its activities. It also focuses on food security by assessing the number of farmers in the County and the problems they encounter. They report to their HQ in Monrovia. LNRCS also assisted youth through WFP food for work projects such as brushing the roads.

2. IRC: The International Rescue Committee:

The International Rescue Committee is in the process of establishing an office in Voinjama. Coordinator is Norris Saydee. It is the lead Child Protection Agency in Lofa and Nimba Counties. IRC is rehabilitating two buildings in Voinjama to serve as Interim Care Centers (ICCs) for the Children Associated with the Fighting Forces (CAFF), one for boys and one for girls, when the disarmament and demobilization process starts there. IRC will act in partnership with CCF, CAP and World Vision. CAFF who are originally from Bong or other counties will be transferred there to facilitate a prompt reunification with their family.

On 20 July IRC launched a five day workshop to train around 30 social workers/caregivers who will work in the ICCs. HROs assisted with a session on the CRC.

3. Inter-religious Council

The Council is composed of 10 leaders, of whom 3 female. We met with 6 of them: Iman A. Z. Folley Sheriff, Mama Kamara (Chairlady), Morris S. Kolee (Advisor), Abraham Kumar (Assistant Advisor), Osman Kanneh (Assistant Treasurer) and Andrew Cole (General Secretary).

The Chairman returned to Voinjama in April 2004, the Secretary returned in February 2004. The Council has 238 members, of whom 159 female. It is composed of the Aladura and Pentacosta Churches and the Mosque. Recently, the Methodist Church also joined when their pastor returned to Voinjama but their members are not yet included in the figures above.

The Council just returned from Kulahun where they met with communities to advocate for peace, reconciliation, tolerance among different religions, encouraging people to disarm. The Council does this at their initiative. In Kulahun 129 persons participated. At a similar activity earlier on in Voinjama, 181 persons participated.

The Council is providing agricultural activities, WATSAN and skill training in Kolahun district. The Council said that PAKBATT provides with a lot of a support (transport).

Asked about the human rights situation, the Council said that in general relations between religions were cordial. The infrastructure in the County, including roads and bridges, has been severely damaged in the conflict. There are food shortages and deficiencies in health care, education etc. All these issues need to be addressed before the refugees and IDPs can be brought back to Voinjama, the Council said.

4. Community radio station Vision

This radio station was launched by population from Lofa County while they resided in an IDP camp in Bong County: Muamu 2, near Totota since 2000. When some of their staff returned to Voinjama on 29 June 2004, they decided to keep the radio going there on 104 FM. Kennedy Dorbor, the Acting Manager, Siafa Akoi, Technician and Steven Woyee, staff operate the radio with very simple means: a tape recorder, tapes donated by PAKBATT and NCDDRR (from Gbarnga) and local music tapes, a simple transmitter and a car battery.

This radio station could provide an ideal means of broadcasting Human Rights messages in the area. HROs will follow-up with PIO if they have relevant tapes and are able to provide support/donate equipment to the station.

5. Action Contre la Faim

ACF, also called Action Fame, only has a transit office in Voinjama. Their main base is in Kulahun district. Their activities are: WATSAN in Kuluhan and part of Voinjama districts and assessments on food security. The transit office in VJ is also used by MSF, who also have their main base in Kulahun district.

6. Peace Winds Japan

We met with Osman Issa Hassan, Field Coordinator. PWJ has been in Voinjama since about 2 ½ months. Their main activities are: Providing shelter assistance to individual returnees, the construction of latrines and wells and the rehabilitation of schools. The first two activities are funded by Japan, the latter by UNHCR.

PWJ has so far reached 14 villages in VJ district. They follow the returnees, where ever they re-establish themselves that is the area where PWJ will work. When providing shelter assistance, PWJ forms a shelter committee comprised of an elder, women and youth representatives in the township. That Committee assists with the determination of the ownership of the plot of land in order to avoid ownership disputes later on. Shelter assistance is given in stages, first tools are issued, then building materials and only when the returnees themselves have built the shelter, PWJ will issue them with household kits (kitchen utensils, blanket etc). WFP has provided food assistance.

PWJ have constructed 15 homes for Lorma widows and 15 homes for Mandingo widows with the objective to built peace between the ethnic groups.

PWJ is planning to rehabilitate a school in Zorzor.

PWJ is planning to recruit a gender focal point to work on SGBV issues. HROs said that this will be a key person for them to exchange information with.

7. OCHA, UNHCR, WFP
These UN agencies are rehabilitating offices in Voinjama.

Conclusion

It appears that there are no Human Rights groups as such yet in Voinjama. The women’s associations are potential partners for HRPS in the long run. ICRC is a key partner for training activities to peacekeepers and law enforcers personnel. The other development organizations are valuable in that they have staff in the field and could report information to HRPS.

Sector: 03, (A)

Local civil society based organizations in Buchanan.

Concerned Citizens’ Movement of Grand Bassa:

According to the Vice-Chairperson of the movement, Ms Tracy Wleh-Wleh, two issues presently preoccupy their organization.

(i) A Chinese enterprise in Buchanan that employs only Chinese citizens (from Director to sweepers and cleaners). The movement contends this is a serious denial of human rights by removing employment possibilities from the local population. The matter was forwarded to the National Human Rights Centre in Monrovia to be dealt with at the national level. The question is – how did the company get the license to so operate in Liberia? What is the law/ policy on foreign investors. We informed Ms Wleh-Wleh we would contact Human Rights Centre in Monrovia to know the follow up to the matter.

(ii) A general discontentment among a large section of the population about the choice of the new county Superintendent. According to Wleh-Wleh, three names were submitted to the Chairman of the NTGL from which one should have been selected. That was not done, however, Wleh-Wleh said. A name of someone who had not been suggested by the people was being chosen to be the Superintendent. It is significant that during the military briefing that evening the same apprehension had been detected by the security personnel during their patrols in the population. The above subject touches of the rights of the people to participate in the process of determining the choice of their leaders.

Buchanan Child Community Based Care (BUCCOBAC):

19.Discussions were held with the 8-member executive Committee of the above human rights NGO1. The NGO had been in existence since 1993 and originally covered human rights broadly. Only recently did the team met start to specialize on Children’s rights. This is partly because their partners including MERCY CORPS, SAVE THE CHILDREN (UK), CONCERN WORLD WIDE and UNICEF asked them to develop and implement projects in these areas.

20.The level of competence, capacity and width of the spectrum the NGO covered in human rights concerns We were gauged and found to be sound. They could be useful partners in human rights education for peace building, advocacy and capacity building for national human rights stakeholders. They already have good contacts with authorities, the CID, Courts, the office of the superintendent and UNMIL. The Justice and Peace commission liaises with them.

21.There is a solid base for HRPS to further explore areas of cooperation with this NGO both within the Grand Bassa and beyond in the country where need should be but without comparable developed national human rights NGO resources. Later the HCRRR officer requested for a joint meeting with the NGO.At the end of the interview she strongly said the NGO should be asked to try developing projects based on their knowledge of the local elements and submit them for consideration to UNMIL. The need HRPS has to develop training modules in various human rights areas may make cooperation with this NGO advisable.

On 19 the NGO sent letter to HRPS through Team. Letter not in tune with discussions held on possible mode of cooperation. This is typical of perception by NGOs of what UNMIL will bring to them. Another session needed to help rectify this. Team to discuss with Regional Coordinator.

Sector 03 : (B) County: Bong, Town: Gbarnga

NGOs/CBOs: Bong Youth Association (BYA), Civil Society Movement (CSM), Movement of Women Integration (MOWI), Justice and Peace Commission (JPC), Gbarnga Zonal Women’s Group (GZWG)

Main areas of action:

• Human rights, civic education, sensitization; (BYA)
• Development; (MOWI/GZWG)
• Research; (JPC)
• Gender mainstreaming; (MOWI/GZWG)
• Judicial and juridical aid; (JPC)
• Civil society building; (JPC/BYA)
• Advocacy; (JPC/BYA/MOWI/GZWG)
• Leadership; (Civil Society Movement)
• Human rights monitoring, fact findings, documentation; (JPC/BYA, MOWI)
• Reporting (JPC)

Current programmes:

•Human Rights and civic education radio program “The Justice and Peace Forum”;
• Newsletter/Briefing paper;
• Civil society capacity building program;
• Prison program;
• Conflict resolution and peace building program;
• Strong points observed:
• The geographical and physical representation/presence of those CBOs on the ground;
• The enthusiasm and willingness of the members;
• The cultural sensitivity of those CBOs (this contributes to build psycho-social confidence with the people on the ground);
• Strong willingness to networking;

Main limitations expressed:

• Capacity building for themselves; Lack of funds to conduct training, sensitization and monitoring activities on the ground ;Lack of training ;Resources/materials
• Lack of security for human rights defenders or activists;
• Implementation and redress

Recommendations:

•Capacity building for those NGOs (designing of project, fund raising, implementation, follow up, orientation to funding agencies and donors…;

• Assisting in setting up a network of NGOs operating in Bong County;

• Concrete follow-up and implementation of proposals/projects and mechanisms for redress

Sector 4:

In Zwedru, Grand Gedeh county(Sector 4) there are actually very few NGOs operating-one of the reasons being the remoteness of the place and the fact that the very few existing roads are most often inaccessible because of the weather conditions. The major NGO in Zwedru is "Save the Children" who are also the main Child Protection Agency. "Medecins sans frontieres" and "Merlin" are also active in the county, providing medical services to the local population.

On local NGOs the situation is far from clear, there are some initiatives, such as "Peace and Justice" NGO that is consisting of one individual without any clear project or idea.

My assessment of the situation is that local communities could use some kind of human-rights awareness/ training, before they are in a position to establish effective NGOs or CBOs. In Harper, Maryland County the main NGO is "Danish refugee council".

In most of Sector 4 counties-such as Sinoe and Maryland county the military has only recently started to deploy, therefore there is no civilian presence whatsoever yet.
(Source: I. Namboka)