MONROVIA — A conglomeration of Liberian women under the banner of Women of Liberia have vowed to protect and promote women’s participation in national and local politics across the country.
According to the women group, the women of Liberia are prepared to compete with their male counterparts to achieve the 30% of women participation in the Legislature.
Speaking on behalf of the Women of Liberia at a press conference in Monrovia, the former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Madam Olubanke King Akerele said it is time for the women of Liberia to respond to the UN Security Council Resolution 1825 that talks about violence against women, among other things.
“That resolution talks about the whole issue of violence against women, violence against women in the political system and Botoe’s case is from start to finished.”
Madam Akerele added: “We saw the exemplification of what she (Botoe) went through and which in return brought us as women together to respond to the significance of the UN Security Council Resolution 1825 which our own, former President was involved in to set up at the level of the UN Security Council.”
However, taking cue from the Botoe Kanneh’s election saga, Mrs. Dorley said the Women of Liberia have conglomerated into a force called the “Lapper Revolution or Movement”.
“What we are experiencing today is the first phase of the “Lapper Revolution or Movement. What is the Lapper Revolution or Movement? The Lapper Revolution or Movement is where the women of Liberia have decided that we (women) are coming on strong in terms of political participation,” she said.
She added that the ruling of the Supreme Court in the Gbarpolu County controversial election is a tribute to the upcoming International Women’s Day in Liberia.
Also speaking, Madam Edith Gongloe-Weh said political exclusion and marginalization of the women of Liberia in national politics is a recipe for chaos.
“Liberia will only be progressive and make strive if the women and the men work together. We cannot exclude women and think that Liberia is going to be better. No amount of exclusion or marginalization can help anybody, and in fact, it is a recipe for chaos,” she said.
Giving the concept behind the “Lapper Revolution or Movement”, the former Chief Justice of Liberia, Cllr. Gloria Musu-Scott said the idea is intended for women to help strengthen capacity in maintaining women’s dignity and respect.
“During the war when women were running helter-skelter. Whenever a woman went into labor and they are giving birth, all the women will take their lapper and put it around her and help her to give birth. And that’s the culture we (women of Liberia) have. We don’t have to know you, you don’t have to be a part of our class. So, we are coming around each other and helping each other and strengthening each other and maintaining our dignity and respect,” she said.
For her part, former Gender Minister Julie Duncan Cassell said the “Lapper Revolution or Movement” will fuel women in the upcoming bar elections as well as in the 2023 general elections.
“We also want to ask all of our women out there, this movement is not about any one particular political party, it cuts across political party lines. It is about the women of Liberia. We are preparing our women for 2023, so we are asking all political parties out there to include women on their listing that will be sent to the National Elections Commission,” she said.
Also, Madam Mecdella Cooper said, the “Lapper Revolution or Movement” will make sure that the women of Liberia accomplish 50-50 female representation in the Legislature.
“The women of Liberia are serious. This Lapper Revolution, we don’t plan to end this until we have accomplished 50-50 female representation in the country. There is no reason why the women of Liberia who make up 51% of our population should have only 11% representation. That is a tragedy and we will not stand frail,” Madam Cooper added.
