Monrovia – What a difference a post-presidency makes. Former President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf and activist Leymah Gbowee shared the 2011 Nobel Peace Prize along with Tawakkul Karman for their non-violent struggle for the safety of women and for women’s rights to full participation in peace-building work.
Gbowee would go on to use her platform to speak truth to power, chronicling the ills in Sirleaf administration and holding the former administration’s feet to the fire on nepotism, greed and corruption.
Nearly a year after the Nobel Prize, Gbowee, speaking on a visit to Paris for the launch of the French edition of her book ‘Mighty Be Our Powers’, declared: “People are very disappointed. We have a deficit when it comes to having a moral voice in the country.”
Madam Gbowee went on to say that she felt guilty for not speaking out earlier and went as far as resigning as head of the Reconciliation Commission.
On Wednesday, the pair joined Vice President Jewel Howard to launch the Liberia Women Leaders Network (LWLN), an organization that seeks to advocate for increased women’s political participation, promote women economic empowerment and mentor young women leaders.
The launch made Liberia ne of the 10 chapters of the African Women Leaders Network (AWLN), an action-oriented initiative formed in 2017 to enhance the leadership of African women in bringing transformative changes, focusing on peace, security and development on the continent.
During the ceremony, VP Taylor urged Liberian women to unite if they want to accomplish the network’s goals.
Women, she said, should put aside their differences along political, family lines and creed the way they did in 2005 to elect Africa’s first female President—Madam Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.
“If we cannot ensure the minimum of 50 percent (women) in both houses of the Legislature, all of our dreams and aspirations will remain dreams and aspirations,’’ she said. “This can be done as our numbers are enough.’’
Gbowee stressed the need for Liberian women to build solidarity, stating that it is wrong for women to make up 49 percent of the population and still fight to have their voices heard in the 21st Century.
Former President Sirleaf who inducted the network’s steering committee headed by Madam Marjon Kamara, a career diplomat and Liberia’s former foreign minister, challenged the group to take a stand for peace. “Be advocates for equality. Find your voice for national unity and as women, take the lead. You can be the star of your nation when it needs you.’’
Madam Kamara, for her part, said, the network does not intend to replace other women’s organizations, but wants to build partnerships with groups that share the goal of increasing women’s visibility on the national stage.
The event, which was supported by the African Union and UN Women Liberia, attracted a number of dignitaries including US Ambassador Christine Elder, Ghana’s Ambassador Ernest-Burke Asare Asiedu, Swedish Ambassador Ingrid Wetterqvist and representatives from the European Union and the British Embassy. More than 100 people attended the event at the Ministerial Complex in Congo Town.
Other members of the committee include: Dr. Evelyn Kandakai, former education minister; Mrs. Ophelia Hoff-Saytumah, former Mayor of Monrovia; Cllr. Ruth Jappah; Ma Kebbeh Monger, head of the Liberia Rural Women Network; Lena Cummings, a women’s rights activist; Facia Harris, a journalist and women’s rights activist; Saran Kabba Jones, a WASH campaigner; and Representative Rosanna Schaack, a former nurse and chair of the Women’s Legislative Caucus.
Liberia’s 19-member cabinet includes two women. Women make up 6 percent of the over 2,000 local government positions. The Liberian 30-member Senate has one woman, and there are only nine women in the 73-member House of Representatives.
While Wednesday’s emphasis was on women’s visibility, sharing the stage for the first time since Sirleaf took her bow from the presidency could go a long way in allaying fears which followed Gbowee’s criticisms of Sirleaf after the Nobel Laureate win. Gbowee, who has also been critical of the current administration of George Manneh Weah does not seem to shy away from reminding leaders, whether Sirleaf or Weah, about their past. “We worked hard for peace,” Gbowee said in 2021, noting that Sirleaf herself was critical of the regime of William Richard Tolbert, who was Liberia’s president from 1971 to 1980.