Monrovia – The Female Journalists Association of Liberia under its Year III USAID Media Activity hosted the second Women Rights Focused Media and Civil Society Roundtable called “the Community Media Forum” (CMF) on Tuesday, August 6 with over fifty (50) participants from several communities in and around S5aclapea, Nimba County in attendance.
The event brought together chiefs, elders, the youth, women groups, stakeholders from the county including some members and support staff of FeJAL.
The initiative which is powered by United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through the Internews Liberia Media Activity is geared towards outlining best approaches that would harness the potentials of Liberian women across all spectrums with a most focus of amplifying the voices of Women through their utmost representation on the table of decision making.
Given an overview of the event FeJAL Media Trainer, Vivian Cooke highlighted the importance of women leadership in local governance and the essence of collaborative support to give women the space to serve and lead. Vivia further said that participation of women at the local level is a necessity that paves a direct path towards gender equality, inclusiveness and accountability. “Ensuring equal participation of women in Leadership and Local Governance, and providing women with equal opportunities to actively participate in the society, would bring about an equal democratic society and result in the empowerment of women to become actors of change and key contributors to the local development process” she added.
Moreover, she stated some challenges women encounter in Liberia, in her statement; as women make up huge percent of the population in Liberia, women are still under-represented with very few women in leadership position in the local governance; more advocacy and efforts are needed to increase the influence and presence of women in leadership roles. Despite the local government act in place, there is still a very limited understanding and recognition of LGA within and among high-level decision makers.
In a panel discussion Madam Nourtiah Vah, the women wing chairlady in Seclapea said, women have not been supportive due to the lack of self- confidence and self- centered attitude, and they don’t regard grassroots women which are some of the reasons women are not elected to political positions
Madam Vah narrated that women play a crucial role in every society, so the need for more women to be at the house is cardinal for more women and children issues to puffer on the floor of the national legislator for discussion and for positive results.
She added, the issues of child labor, human trafficking, drug Abuse, Sexual gender-based violence among others are all issues that need serious attention in order for the county to move forward in human capacity development and infrastructure development.
Speaking from the youth perspective, the chairperson for the youth, Aaron Luogon emphasized that women should be given more opportunities when it comes to leadership roles, because they come with lots of characteristics when serving in leadership, he mentioned women are committed, honest, accountable and results oriented and do not take what belongs to the community for their personal use.
Luogon set an example with the current superintendent of Nimba county madam Kou Meapeh Gono who he said people underestimated her but now the changes she has made by upgrading the superintendent compound is something that all predecessors did not do nothing for.
He added that even the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf City hall that is currently been used by the city of seclapea the Annex to it was erected by women, so according to him there should be no reason for women to be denied positions in any given institutions because women always make the difference wherever they find themselves in society.
Madam Irene Lankah from the disabled community expressed excitement for being selected to speak on the importance of women in leadership positions, which she referred to as a golden opportunity for her to be recognized at such a forum.
Madam Lankah said she prefers for women to be in leadership because they are the caretakers of the home, stressing that the way they have the hearts to take care of the home that’s the same hearts they bring in leadership positions.
“When women are in leadership positions all of those they are surrounded by feel their impact, their works are always visible to the public’’ she added.
“Men really do not have time about things that happens be it in their presence or absence, all they care is to come home and meet everything neat in the home, but women are the once that go through the daily stress with the children and other things, but can still maintained that look as if to say she never went through nothing, so when they can accept all of that, serving in leadership is just an added role to their profession as a true and sophisticated women.
The head for the civil society organization in seclapea, Victor Zoleglee agreed with all of the points provided by his fellow discussants and added that women possesses all the attributes that a good leader can implies to make her community and country a better place for every citizen.
The all recommended that FeJAL include Land Rights and Promote women’s Land Rights, teenage pregnancy is on the increase, there should be an extension of awareness to other parts of Saclapea about women maltreatment in the home, there should be more education done on the (Role of Men and Women in the home), they encouraged FeJAL to keep on the awareness which contribute to educating citizens on issues they not aware of to be in the know.
Meanwhile, several Women groups from different communities in seclapea, Nimba county have pledged their commitment to support women in politics and in local government leadership.
The group said it is important to support each other for political positions and in leadership at the local level, because only women can understand the many challenges women go through in their various communities, towns, counties and the country daily.
In remarks at the end of the forum, the statutory superintendent of Nimba County, Cooper Gour appreciated FeJAL for leaving Monrovia to come to their community to discuss such a unique and important topic that will impact the lives of community members, adding they look forward to having another workshop with FeJAL on other issues that are affecting their community and the county.
Also making remarks, FeJAL Vice President Oretha Bundoo Seh, thanked the participants for taking out time to form part of the discussion and encouraged women to always see themselves as decision makers and can do more than what men are capable of doing in society.
Oretha also urged women in the hall to get more involved in discussions as it believes that only women can discuss their own issues affecting them, and only women can represent themselves well.
It can be recalled, the Female Journalists Association of Liberia had its first community media forum (CMF) in April of this year with focus on the same topic and brought together over 50 participants from Little Bassa and Sammie Towns, Compound #1, Grand Bassa County.
