Monrovia — Madam Edith Gongloe Weh, a Senatorial candidate in the 2020 senatorial election in Nimba county, has urged Liberian women to vigorously pave their way in the political sphere without fear amid discrimination and setback.
She spoke over the weekend at programs marking the Celebration of international WOMEN’S Day organized by Women Movement for Sustainable Development (WOMSUD) under the theme, “Choose to challenge”. The event was intended to honor some women who braved the storm through the Political space to Contest during the 2020 Midterm senatorial elections.
Madam Gongloe-Weh described the 2020 electoral process as a long tedious struggle but emphasized that the quest to ensure equal Representation and women Participation pull her through.
She cautioned women not to feel discouraged by election results, and the number of times they have lost, but to rather to see the defeat as a stepping stone to their victory.
She extended appreciation to the women of Nimba for standing by her throughout, and further denied the believe of Liberian women not supporting their colleagues in government politics.
The aspirant however warned the public against discrimination and exclusion in government, especially against women, stating that “Any level of exclusion is a recipe for disaster”.
Madam Gongloe-Weh is currently in a long Political haul over the elections result in Nimba with the MDR candidate Kpan Jeremiah Koung which has landed in the Supreme Court. Earlier, NEC ruled that Koung won the Elections amid complaints of fraud and recount.
However, Madam Magdalene Harris a political aspirant in December 2020 election in Grand Bassa county expressed dissatisfaction regarding some issues she felt disenchanted by, especially from some Non Governmental Organizations who were pushing women’s agenda in the Senatorial elections.
Madam Harris narrated that in the midst of campaign, some International NGOs were conducting training, thus depriving aspirants with interest in joining the training, not to have time to spread their campaign messages.
She further called on INGOs with interest in women participation in government politics, to confront situations on the precedented path for which the public expect, and avoid preaching blind advocacy.
Contrary to Madam Edith Gongloe Weh, Madam Magdalene said some women of Grand Bassa on countless occasions asked her to withdraw from the race, and allow other women to contest, while others insisted that the men could do better.
“Some of us were intimidated by women in higher authorities. Besides, some women are not being things maker, but rather sitting to see the outcome of the struggle”, she added.
From her end, the Executive Director of the Women Movement for Sustainable Development (WOMSUD) Mrs Grace Yeah Yeanay called on women to build more courage in confronting issues serving as setback to their full participation in government. She further stressed out the essentiality of women and girls under the Beijing+25 Liberia Review, which was also lunched at the ceremony.
The Beijing+25 Liberia Review is an analysis of issues, policies, programs, and interventions initiated as well as mechanisms implored in the Government Report that gave an insight on how the BPFA is mainstreamed in government development agenda, and impacted on the lives of Liberian women and girls.
Under the Beijing+25 Review process, concerns about actions and mechanisms put into place by the Government of Liberia since it’s commitment to implement the BPFA upon coming into force 1995 towards the realization of gender equality and women empowerment by 2030 were central.
Women Movement for Sustainable Development is a registered legal entity that envisages a society where the rights, and dignity of women and girls are respected, and embodied in national-level decision-making progresses.