‘Rape Cases Disturb Me,’ Pres. Sirleaf, Outlines Challenges to Reducing Child Mortality

President Sirleaf 

As though the seven years to life sentence for rape convicts – depending on the gravity of the crime, under the 2006 rape law – were not enough, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has disclosed that she greatly troubled by weekly reports of increasing rape cases across the country. She disclosed this in an exclusive interview with this writer last week.

Upon ascending to the Liberian presidency in 2006, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf pledged that no rapists would go unpunished during her tenure. However, the United States 2010 Human Rights Report released by the United States Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor on Liberia, revealed that rape continues to be a widespread problem in the post-war country mainly because the 2006 rape law was not effectively enforced.

The report said government rather worked to sensitize women and men on the prevention, treatment, and prosecution of rape, but the law itself was not effectively enforced.

Rape was a common weapon used against women during Liberia’s decades of civil strife. Unfortunately, in contemporary Liberia, though there is relative peace, more rape cases are being reported across the country. Previously, there was no legislation against rape per se, though gang rape was considered an offense.

Women’s rights advocates led by the Association of Female Lawyers of Liberia (AFELL), drew up the rape bill in response to what they said was a growing number of rape cases and sexual assault against women. Under the new law, rape convicts can be sentenced to between seven years to life imprisonment, depending on the gravity of the crime. Any accused will not be granted bill under the law. Maximum sentence for first-degree rape is life imprisonment and 10 years for second-degree rape, although presiding judges have discretion to sentence less than the maximum. Accused first-degree rapists are not eligible for bail. The law does not specifically criminalize spousal rape.

“I get report every week of rape cases and it disturbs me so much,” she said.

Meanwhile, President Johnson Sirleaf has named rape, teenage pregnancy, and poor health facilities as major challenges impeding efforts by her administration to reduce maternal and child mortality in the country.

The President observed that though government has recorded some level of progress in curbing maternal and child mortality, there remains a lot to be done.

“We are still far behind in reducing the child mortality rate,” she admitted.

“The challenges are numerous. This is because, there are still too many cases of teenage pregnancy, especially in rural Liberia where good health facilities may not be available,” she said.

A potential solution to the issue is the training of midwives, whom the President believes are playing an important role in curbing maternal and child deaths. She said government is working to improve the midwifery service, through hands-on training.

In 2007, Liberia Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) conducted by government statistics house, Liberia Institute of Statistics & Geo-Information Services (LISGIS), put the Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) at 994 deaths per 100,000 live births.

The report said, only 37 percent of deliveries take place in a health facility, 26 percent in rural areas, and an increase in adolescent pregnancy from 29 percent in 2000 to 32 percent in 2007.