The Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection has completed payment of the 5th and 6th quarter of the Social Cash Transfer to over 3,000 beneficiaries in Maryland and Grand Kru Counties.
Speaking at the Ministry of Information Cultural Affairs and Tourism regular press briefing Thursday, Gender Minister Williemetta Saydee-Tarr said the Social Cash Transfer Program is aimed at protecting children and empowering women as it provides subsistence to the entire household, thereby strengthening the ability of the household to provide basics needs.
According to Minister Tarr, additional beneficiaries in Bomi, Maryland, and River Gee Counties are expected to be included in mid-2022, noting that the Ministry has rolled out accompanying measures in Maryland and Grand Kru Counties where women are taught to make home gardens and other activities.
Minister Tarr said the Ministry has established a fully functional Management Information System at the Ministry, which contains a database that is expected to hosts thousands of data from around the country, basically on social protection and other needs.
Meanwhile, the Gender Minister said the government has disbursed US$1 million for the Inter-Ministerial Taskforce on Sexual and Gender-Based Violence through the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, and the $1 million US Dollars are inclusive of the DNA machine and its attending equipment plus the US$500,000 that is currently been disbursed.
According to Minister Saydee-Tarr, a total of 526 SGBV cases were reported from January to June of this year, with female cases constituting 516, while Male accounts for 10.
She added that Montserrado County recorded 320 cases, female 318, male 2, Physical Assault 12, Sexual Assault 53, Rape 255, constituting 60.8%, and Nimba County recording 28 cases, female 28, male 0, Physical Assault 6, Denial of Resources 11, Rape 11, constituting 5.3% among others.
