Monrovia – Established in 2011 to help play a role in helping to resolve post electoral crisis in Liberia’s general and Presidential elections, the Women Situation Room Initiative is poised again to replicate its role from 2011 with other countries copying Liberia’s example, according to Cllr. Yvette Chesson-Wureh, Coordinator of the Angie Brooks International Center.
Report by Mae Azango [email protected]
“From 2012 up to present, the Women Situation Room Initiative has been replicated in Senegal, Kenya, Sierra Leone, Nigeria and Uganda,” said Cllr. Wureh.
“Currently, modalities are underway for its replication in Ghana during the forthcoming elections slated for later this year in December from where I am addressing you from.”
Madam Wureh, during a Tele- conference from Ghana, via Skype held at the Monrovia City Hall conference room, said with initial support from the UNDP, the Leadership Development International Peace and Security initiated the Women’s Situation Room (WSR) during the 2011 general and Presidential elections served as a conflict mitigation mechanism to help avert any potential conflict that could jeopardize sustained peace in Liberia.
“As a matter of fact, UNDP is regarded as the god father of the WSR, given the extraordinary role played from its inception, with the former country director, Mr. Dominic Sam spearheading support to the first WSR and went on to being an integral part of the process by visiting the room on elections day.
This innovative unprecedented initiative proved very successful and thus has claimed the attention of Africa and the world.
In January 2012, on the margins of the 18th African Union Heads of state summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, the “Gender is my Agenda Campaign” (GIMAC) adopted the women’s situation as a “Best Practice” and asked for it to be replicated at all election in Africa with President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf requested to champion the initiative, which she accepted.”
She said currently, modalities are underway for its replication in Ghana during the forthcoming elections slated for later this year in December.
For his part, UNDP Country Director, Mr. Kamil Kamaluddeen, thanked the Angie Brooks Center, UNDP, UN Women and other partners who are funding the project.
“The Women Situation Room is helping us to shift and manage elections. Women’s International role has moved from Liberia to Sierra Leone, Uganda, Senegal, Nigeria and now to Ghana because of the elections in these places. So we want to ensure that upcoming elections in other parts of Africa learn lessons from this country.
We will continue to provide support for the Women Situation Room for peaceful elections. Elections should never divide us but it should bring peace and development. So to Women Situation Room, I would say you should keep it going,” he said.
Presidential Press Secretary, Jerolinmek Piah said the Women Situation Room will form a part of President Sirleaf’s legacy, as Liberia moves closer to elections.
“It is part of our history because this Situation Room is a history, because it is from Liberia, and other countries around the world are copying from us. So if other countries from around the world can implement it and have violence free elections, it will leave a positive legacy for President Sirleaf.”
Former Foreign Minister, Olu-Bankie King Akerele, said the Women Situation Room really works in the countries listed by Cllr. Wureh, citing an instance during the Ugandan elections when a man called in to the Women Situation Room and said even though he and his wife voted for two different parties during the elections, she locked him out of the house because he did not vote for her party. So he called to ask the women to please appeal to his wife to let him in.
“So you see, the Women Situation Room does not only work for the women but also for the men as well, because this man was calling the women to help calm his wife down”, she disclosed.
