The Second Lady of Liberia, Madam Snyleseh Stephenie Dahn Koung, has shed light on the evolving nature of women's leadership, emphasizing its vital role in community and societal responsibilities, especially in Africa. She described women's leadership as a revolution, empowering them to influence decisions, shape policies, and advocate for vulnerable groups.
She noted that young African women do not need external validation or permission to pursue or realize their dreams, emphasizing the importance of aspiring for leadership positions and taking up space with confidence.
"To every young African girl watching, I want you to know that your dreams are valid, your voice matters, and your future is bright. Do not wait for permission to lead," Madam Koung, who is also the Executive Director of the Group of 77, told The New Africa Amazons in an exclusive interview on the sideline of the Women's Summit 2025 that was held in Casablanca, Morocco recently.
"You already have to pursue your education, and never be afraid to take up space," she said, adding that the world "needs your ideas, your leadership, and your brilliance."
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Madam Koung highlighted the significance of education, self-preparation, and believing in one's abilities, echoing the sentiment of former Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf that dreams should be ambitious enough to inspire growth beyond one's comfort zone.
"Live life the right way. If I am here to-day, it is because someone believed in me and I believe in you," she said. "Let your urge to lead be so challenging that it pushes you out of your comfort zone."
She reminded young women that their voices, ideas, and leadership are valuable contributions to society and encouraged them to embrace their potential for making a positive impact.
Women Leadership is a Responsibility
Madam Dahn-Koung, being quite vocal at the summit, highlighted the evolving nature of women's leadership, emphasizing their vital role in community and societal responsibilities, especially in Africa.
"Women leadership in Africa today is a responsibility," she said. "I'll even go one step further and say it's a revolution."
She described women's leadership as a revolution, empowering them to influence decisions, shape policies, and advocate for vulnerable groups.
"It means stepping into spaces where decisions are made and shaping policies that directly affect our communities, our economies, and our futures," she noted, adding that women's leadership is about amplifying voices that have long been silenced and creating structures where inclusion is encouraged and expected.
She emphasized the need for compassion, courage, and a commitment to uplifting other women in various sectors, including those impacting marginalized communities.
"It's about leading with compassion, with courage, and with an unwa-vering focus on lifting other women as we rise," she added. "In the current especially those that impact women, children, and persons with special needs, different abilities, and all marginalized groups. Whether it's pushing for social inclusion, access to health services, girls' education, combating domestic violence and abuse, improving maternal health, or creating pathways for community integration and economic empowerment, we must use our platforms as active agents of change, not as figureheads."
In the Liberian context, she praised the opportunity for Second Ladies to lead institutions supporting vulnerable populations, showcasing the government's backing for such initiatives.
Drawing from Liberia's history of resilience and the centrality of women in driving recovery and growth, Dahn-Koung stressed the indispensable nature of women's leadership for sustainable development in the African context.
She emphasized the transition from being pillars of homes to becoming mainstream leaders, highlighting women's essential role in shaping and sustaining societies.
"In the African context, women's leader-ship is no longer optional, it is essential for sustainable development. If women can be the pil-lars of the home that produces Ministers, Presidents and high society actors who are men, women can be magnificent mainstream leaders," she said. "That's why I'm grateful, that in Liberia, Second Ladies are given the opportunity to lead an institution that caters to the most vulnerable in our society and we have the full support from our government," she said.
She, however, noted that it is time for the roles of the First and Second Ladies to go far beyond ribbon cutting and ceremonial appearances.
"We are uniquely positioned to advocate, to influence, and to open doors that others may not be able to. With access comes responsibility," she noted. "I believe First and Second Ladies have a duty to champion causes that might otherwise be neglected, they become the pillars of national survival. The lesson is this: investing in women is not a charity, it is a strategy for national resilience."
Strategic Engagement at 2025 Summit
Madam Snyleseh Stephenie Dahn Koung actively participated as an Honorary Guest Speaker and Panelist at the Women's Summit 2025, held under the honorary patronage of Her Royal Highness Princess Lalla Meryem at the Hyatt Regency. The summit, in its third edition, convened women leaders from Morocco, various African nations, Canada, and the United States to discuss topics like innovation, sustainable development, and women's economic empowerment.
Representing Liberia at the invitation of the Startup Grow Foundation, dedicated to supporting entrepreneurs in underserved communities, Madam Koung's involvement underscored Liberia's dedication to fostering international cooperation for inclusive development and social progress.
Apart from her contributions to the summit's main discussions, Dahn-Koung engaged in dialogues focused on cross-border collaboration. She met with Madam Ghizlane Benjelloun from the National Observatory for the Rights of Children in Rabat to address child protection and services for children with disabilities in Liberia and Morocco.
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Additionally, in a meeting with Mayor Nabila Rmili, strategies were discussed to empower women with disabilities and enhance their involvement in society. These discussions reflected a shared commitment to inclusive policies and collaborative partnerships between the two countries.
Madam Koung's visit highlighted the ongoing work of Liberia's Group of 77, a social welfare initiative established in 1977 by former President William R. Tolbert to assist individuals with disabilities. The program operates under the Office of the Vice President, often led by the Vice President's spouse or an appointed representative.
At the summit, she expressed eagerness to explore partnerships that move from conversation to action. "Specifically, I am interested in cross-country collaborations for the strength, the intelligence, and the potential within you."
"There is a need for a conference on the status of women with disabilities, where we get to discuss their challenges and commit to solutions, such as vocational training for women with disabilities, regional strategies to keep girls in school, and joint advocacy for policies focused on persons with special needs, different abilities and end gender-based violence," she said. "I believe we must create more formal platforms for First and Second Ladies across Afri-ca to coordinate our efforts, not as isolated champions, but as a unified voice. Together, we can push for continental policies that prioritize women's health, mental health, economic inclusion, and leadership representation." EMPOWERMENT
