Liberia: ‘Women! Show Up, Show Force’ – Gender Minister Urges Grand Gedeh Women to Register for the October Elections

ZWEDRU – Eligible women and girls must wake up and compete with their male counterparts in the political activities of Liberia, including getting registered to vote in October’s general and presidential elections, Gender Minister Williametta Saydee-Tarr has told the women of Grand Gedeh County.

The Ministry of Gender, Children, and Social Protection, with support from UN Women-Liberia, is rolling out its regional gender outreach, the Women! Let’s Move caravan, in the Southeast meant to re-enforce the political participation of women and voting age girls in Region III, said to be the final episode of the Caravan.

The Women! Let’s Move caravan was launched by the Ministry and partners in November of 2022, to promote women’s political participation and Representation. It also affords the opportunity for revision and having an understanding of the Electoral Law Reform and the advocacy for 30 per cent electoral quota for women in the Legislature and other political institutions in the country. 

“Having a population of which half is female, based on the recent National Housing and Population Census, we want to be sure that we field more than 10 per cent at the national legislature – but also that we are protected whilst we’re going to the election,” Min. Saydee-Tarr tells the people of Grand Gedeh. 

“one of the major things we’re talking about,” she continues, “is for all of us to fight against violence against women and children in these elections.”

Women, she says, need to show up and show force by making their voices heard through the ballot box, and must be part of the voting process fully by making decisions that will protect the future for everyone.

 The Minister of Gender and her team provided clothing for women, children, and, even for men who are the most needy in towns and villages as well as the capital, Zwedru, during their engagements with the people.

Meanwhile, the Team was taken on a guided tour of the Martha Tubman Memorial Hospital in Zwedru and particularly made stops at the One Stop Center for Sexual and Gender-based Violence, the neonatal care center, the make ward, the delivery ward and other sections in order to be abreast with the operations of those facilities. 

Medical Director Dr. Daanue Zwuogbay briefed Minister Saydee-Tarr as saying that center is effective thanks to the support of the Ministry of Gender, Children, and Social Protection. He reported an apparent decrease in the number of SGBV-related referrals in recent months and wished for such to be stable or even be brought to zero. 

The Minister and Team then visited the maternity ward of the hospital and later presented to the Administration bedsheets and an assortment of nutritional food for children undergoing treatment.  

The Region III Women! Let’s Move caravan further hits the road to cover River Gee, Maryland, Grand Kru, Sinoe, and Rivercess counties, Minister Saydee-Tarr told local broadcaster Top FM in a live interview.