Monrovia — The Platform for Dialogue and Peace (P4DP) is intensifying efforts to ensure that political parties adhere to the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed with the National Elections Commission (NEC), demonstrating a commitment to nominate a minimum of 30% female candidates ahead of the 2023 General Elections.
P4DP, a research and peacebuilding institution, believes that the commitment of political parties to this process is intended to pave the way for increased women's political participation, promoting gender equality and enhancing the representation of women at the national legislative level.
The seminar, which attracted several political party representatives, civil society actors, and government officials, including a delegation from the NEC, was funded by the Women Peace and Humanitarian Fund under the project title: "Platform for Women Empowerment and Next Level."
Providing an overview, Deimah Kpar-Kyne McCrownsey, P4DP Project Officer, stated that the seminar aimed to provide women with a platform to understand campaign planning, implementation, and the election process. She also emphasized the importance of familiarizing women aspirants with the various election requirements and necessary documentation.
"We have observed that most female candidates face challenges in terms of campaign planning and strategies, as revealed by our research," she disclosed.
McCrownsey further revealed that seven out of Liberia's 15 counties currently have no female representatives in the national legislature.
Addressing the significance of supporting and including women political aspirants in the upcoming October polls, Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in South Sudan, Madam Sara Beysolow Nyanti, highlighted the lack of solidarity among women as a hindrance to their attainment of elected positions.
Madam Beysolow Nyanti emphasized the need to delve deeper into the barriers that affect and hinder women's participation. She called on women in positions of authority to prioritize the women's agenda over individual interests.
Despite constituting 50% of the world's population, women's participation in various parts of the world continues to be hindered, Madam Nyanti stated. She remarked, "Women's agenda is secondary to women's interest. Often, women do not support each other because one woman may already occupy a space where her interests are being served, and those interests take precedence over the overall agenda of advancing women."
"It is not enough to simply occupy a seat; you must occupy the space. It is not enough to get elected. Women may support other women when those in positions of power demonstrate the value they bring to that space," she added.
The Deputy UNSRG emphasized that there are unprecedented national challenges faced by women, including security barriers that must be addressed to enable females to engage in campaign processes without fear of their male counterparts.
She stressed the need to discourage cyber and spiritual bullying, in order to level the playing field for women. Madam Nyanti argued that when men propagate discriminatory messages, oppressing and attacking women, it only encourages others with criminal intent to physically harm them.
"The audacity of a woman to say, 'I am in this country, this is my country, I have the capacity, and I want to serve,' is offensive to many people. It is important for women who have already paid the price not to forget about other women who aspire to step forward and need advice on how to navigate the process and reduce its impact," she said.
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Furthermore, she called for the creation of institutions to mitigate the financial barriers faced by women aspiring for political office. Madam Nyanti emphasized the importance of supporting women through capacity-building to ensure their successful endeavors.
"The issue of finance, if not holistically addressed, particularly for those who engage in bullying, and the absence of institutions that condemn such actions, needs to be strategized for change," she said.
She added, "There are many things that I am aware of happening in this space that women should not succumb to. We must do things that align with our values and principles, rather than compromising them in the pursuit of financial support to serve our people."
Reaffirming their commitment to women's political inclusion, representatives from various political parties assured their dedication to implementing the newly signed and agreed-upon election law 4.5.
