Monrovia — Ahead of the 2023 General and Presidential Elections in Liberia, 40 women from Eight (8) woman-led Community-Based Organizations (CBOs) under a Memorandum of Understanding have vowed sustained advocacy on women's leadership and representation; to have more women elected in the upcoming elections.
The CBOs under their advocacy initiative "Put Women There, 2023 Elections," seek to increase awareness of the importance of women's leadership at the National Legislature and local government structures, which they believe will sensitize the citizenry to elect women in the October 10 polls.
The advocacy activities will be visible in Nimba, Lofa, Bong, and Grand Gedeh Counties, where the Institute for Research and Democratic Development (IREDD), Women NGO Secretariat of Liberia (WONGOSOL), and Sister Aid Liberia (SALI) under a consortium have signed the MOU with the CBOs and built the capacities of the members (10 per County) of the Eight (8) CBOs in advocacy and citizens' engagement; and sharpened their skills in preparation to undertake advocacy initiatives within the four Counties.
Speaking during a capacity enrichment training conducted recently in Zwedru, Grand Gedeh County, The Executive Director of the Women and Girls Foundation Amelia Williams Kar says, since the 1960s to now, the Southeastern Counties of Liberia have never elected women in the Legislature.
"It will shock Liberians to know that we have never elected any woman as Representative or Senator, and for too long women in our region have been denied the opportunity to address their own issues," she lamented.
Madam Kar believes the 2023 elections are the right opportunity for the region to make history by electing women contesting for seats in the Legislature and Presidency.
Similarly, the Coordinator of the Ganta Concern Women Madam Musu Kardamie frowned on Nimba County for keeping women in the back, evidenced by the lack of female Legislators from the County.
Madam Kardamie is urging citizens of Nimba to join other Counties to advance inclusive governance.
"We want women to be elected come October and the number of female legislators increased from 11 upward."
The CBOs being supported by the Consortium to undertake the
"Put Women There, 2023 Elections" advocacy initiative comprised of the Lofa Women's Network, Galamo Women Association in Lofa County; the Ganta Concern Women for Development, Nikar Women Group in Nimba County, Gedeh Rural Women and the Girls and Women Foundation Liberia in Grand Gedeh County; others include the Women Empowerment Program for Sustainability and Community Humanitarian and Advocacy Development Organization in Bong County.
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The advocacy initiative is an activity of the Women's Leadership Grant being implemented by IREDD, WONGOSOL, and SALI with support from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Elections and Democracy Activity in Liberia through Democracy International.
The Women's Leadership Grant is an 18-month project whose overall objective is to increase women's participation and representation in political leadership at the national and local levels, especially in the one hundred-three (103) members National Legislature where there are only eleven (11) women currently serving; two senators and nine representatives who are going for re-election.
