Monrovia — A conglomeration of Liberian women from diverse backgrounds have called on political parties to fully implement the Memorandum of Understanding they sign with the National Elections Commission (NEC) to fully implement Section 4.5 of the Elections Law of Liberia.
In a petition to NEC, the women's organizations including rural women, market women, and national women groups, expressed concerned over the low level of women aspirants who have completed their candidate registration process with the NEC, and called on political parties to implement the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) they signed with NEC on Section 4.5 of the Elections Law of Liberia on May 11, 2023.
Section 4.5 of the of the Election Law mandates political parties to submit a candidate list of not less than 30 percent of members from each gender. But the NEC, in its official updates released as of July 10, 2023, showed that only 85 (15.9%) of the 533 aspirants who have registered to contest in the October 2023 legislative elections are women.
Early this year, President George Weah veto the electoral law, which called for the 30 percent gender representation and that would have empowered the National Elections Commission to find or delist any political party that failed to adhere to the gender quota.
In a communication to Speaker Bhofal Chambers, President Weah said the amendments were in conflict with already existing constitutional provisions, and other laws, and as such, hepreferred the law staying the way it is.
The President's action dashed the hopes of many women rights advocates who had for years lobbied for the quota.
However, they were reassured when twenty-five political parties including coalitions signed the MOU with the NEC, committing to have not less than 30% women on their candidate lists. In addition, some political parties set voluntary candidate quotas of 40%.
The group, in the statement read by Madam Hawa Jembell, Program Manager and Acting Executive Director, and Madam Beatrice Newland Executive Lead POWER Liberia, said the MOU was necessary in the absence of the electoral reform bill which had a mandatory 30% quota and fines for no compliance.
"This will be the third time in Liberia's democratic dispensation that reforms for equal participation do not get to be signed into law ahead of elections," the women said.
"Liberian women have expressed interest in legal and policy reform to advance women's political participation for more than 20 years and have been continually let down by elected officials and political parties, who do not serve their interests."
They recounted that political parties have continually failed to "endeavor to ensure" that not less than 30% are on their list.
"Between 2005 and 2015, not a single party met the 30%. In 2017, just one of 24 parties despite the legal mandate for the National Elections Commission (NEC) to require political parties to demonstrate an "endeavor to ensure" gender representation, the NEC has been unsuccessful in holding political parties accountable or compelling them to provide evidence of compliance or programs aimed at fulfilling this requirement."
The women said the low representation of women is unacceptable within a democracy, especially considering that women comprise half of the population.
"Ahead of 2023 Elections, it is crucial that we break away from business as usual and take significant steps towards promoting women's political participation. Political parties have continually demonstrated that they do not have any interest in strengthening their internal democracy and promoting equal political participation. Additionally, the persistent trend of a declining proportion of women being included in the candidate rosters of political parties signals a lack of progress in this area."
This circumstance, they added, has the potential to restrict women's engagement in politics and may compel female candidates to opt for less favorable options.
In addition, the group noted that this dire circumstance serves as an early indication that the extent of women's involvement in the Legislative body may potentially decrease to a level below 11% subsequent to the October 2023 elections, unless immediate action is taken.
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The Demand
The women said in the wake of the gross violation, a gathering of over 50 national Women-based Civil Society Organizations in Liberia was promptly organized to deliberate on the matte at an emergency meeting which took place at the NEC's Conference Hall on Friday, July 7, 2023.
The women, among other things, called on all political parties which have signed the MOU and set voluntary quotas to uphold these commitments before the end of the candidate registration process this Friday, July 14. They want the political parties adopt social protection policies for women desirous of running on their ticket and reduce the financial obligations associated with candidate nomination, and that the NEC develops monitoring tools to ensure political parties' compliance with the existing laws in the absence of a mandatory law holding political parties accountable.
Women's political participation, representation, and leadership remain cardinal to Liberia's democracy and development, the group said.
