Carter Center CEO Lauds Traditional Women United for Peace

Monrovia – The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Carter Center Mary Ann Peters has lauded the Traditional Women United for Peace for their good work that they have exhibited over the time along with the men to improve their country.

Report by J.H. Webster Clayeh – [email protected]

The Carter Center CEO who was accompanied by Former Information Minister Rev. Emmanuel Bowier, and few staff of the Carter Center Liberia’s office at the Traditional Women United for Peace Headquarter in Brewerville and extended warm salutation from Mr. and Mrs. Carter and the entire Carter Center’s family in the USA and assured the gathering of traditional women of the Carter Center’s full support.

The Traditional Women United for Peace which is headed by Mama Toma is a cross-section of rural women. They had been positively involving in preventing conflict, minimizing poverty and educating young girls and women in their various aspect of life in their towns and villages.

The Carter Center CEO also praised the Head of the Traditional Women United for Peace for her steadfastness.  

Madam Peters says: “I bring you thank from all of us, for your leadership of the traditional women in this country and for the path; the way, you have shown them to lift Liberia up with the men of the country. And I want to let you know that the Carter Center will be with you as you continue to work.”

Going furthered, the Carter Center CEO told the gathering of Traditional Women United for Peace:

“I am happy to be here with you, I am happy that you are working with Mama Toma for the future; and as I said the Carter Center will work with you.”

At the event, the Traditional Women United for Peace also gowned the Madam Peters and also offered her cola nuts which symbolized the contributions the Carter Center has done for people; most especially the rural women in Liberia.

Afterward, Mama Toma, the head, however, disclosed the many injustices they the women are experiencing on the daily basis.

Among many the menaces Mama Toma cited; rape which she says is a serious problem that they are facing in the rural areas.

She explains that whenever they take an alleged rapist to the police station and later forwarded to the court in the local villages, the national government does not intervene.

The Head of the Traditional Women United for Peace added that when the alleged rapist spend time behind bars; relatives, most often pay money to get them (alleged rapist) released.

Mama Toma says, “We really, really suffering in Liberia here. The women, the rape, somebody rape, you know this rape business here, we can arrest the person but government can’t do a follow-up on the cases.

“I’d take three cases there; I don’t know how the people go free, the government can’t follow-up. The parents them walked, walked, they tired. So, some places here people can’t report rape cases again, that is the problem we got here now.”  

Nevertheless, Mama Toma, pointed out few things like the school she said was built by the American Ambassador, the church that was built by Samaritan Purse and the women center built by the Carter Center.

Pointing to the CEO of Carter Center Mama Toma said: “So, coming here is so important to me.”

Mama Toma added that having worked with many of Carter Center country’s director in somehow the most remote parts of Liberia, and now because of her appalling age she appeals to the Carter Center CEO to enable her to be “mobile” so that she can reach across the length and birth of the country.

“All the country directors who were here; me and them been working together. We went all over even Lofa, but my problem now; you know my age now, I do not have a car to go from county to county; that is why I can’t meet my people.”

“I can’t go from place to place. So, my appeal to you and the boss-man Jimmy Carter; you should send the country’s director car for me to be inside to go all around the country”, she concluded frankly.