Monrovia – The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has launched a project under the title: “50 million Women Speak Platform”, with the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, which is expected to serve as the Focal Ministry.
Report by Alline Dunbar, [email protected]
The program was officially launched Wednesday, January 23, at the Boulevard Palace Hotel in Sinkor.
The program brought together local and international dignitaries, young leaders and entrepreneurs from diverse background in the country.
In his opening remarks, the ECOWAS Resident Representative to Liberia, Ambassador Babatunde Ajisomo, commended President George Weah for the support given to the inauguration of the 50 Million African Women Speak Platform Country Team Project.
“Because of the conscious efforts, the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, headed by Madam Piso Saydee Tarr and her Team are making, it is in this connection that ECOWAS designated the Ministry of Gender as the focal ministry to drive this remarkable project in Liberia,” Amb. Ajisomo stated.
He also commended the ECOWAS officials at the Gender Ministry and Development Center in Dakar, Sengal for been the implementing arm of the project in all of ECOWAS’ Member States, as well as, coordinating with other regional economic organizations in Africa.
Since May of 2018, the ECOWAS Gender Center has facilitated the inauguration and hosting of country project teams in 11 Member States in the sub-region with Liberia becoming the 12th on Wednesday. There are last three countries left in the region, will also host in order to ensure that all 15 Members States are covered.
Amb. Ajisimo further stated that the “50 Million Women Speak” project was developed by the African Development Bank (AfDB) in partnership with the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), and the East Africa Community (EAC).
“It was conceived in 2017 to create a technology platform to reach 50 million African women with the aim of improving their access to information and financing as well as putting them on networks with institutions and partners that could support their businesses.”
He added that as women business owners continue to face gender-related barriers such as lower levels of education and business training, weak property rights that deprive them of collateral and tangible assets among others, the project is expected to address some of those challenges as it would create a dynamic networking platform for women entrepreneurs.
“Connecting them with one another in ways that will foster peer-to-peer learning, mentoring and the sharing of information within the communities as well as provide them with access to trade, finance and market opportunities between urban and rural areas,” he further stated.
The ECOWAS Representative in Liberia further stated the 50 Million Women Speak Platform project is also intended to reinforce the sub-regional body’s Protocol on the Promotion of Equal Rights for Women and Men for a Sustainable Development. “This protocol calls on Member States to adopt all legislative and regulatory measures to ensure that women have unfettered and equal access to all economic and development opportunities,” he added.
Also making remarks, the head of the African Union Liaison Office in Liberia, Ambassador Ibrahim Mbaba Kamara, congratulated the organizers of the project and used the occasion to announce to those in attendance that the African Union now has Gender Parity at the highest level in its parliament.
“In all its elections, appointment, and commissioners there is 50\50,” he disclosed; adding that by 2030, there will be gender parity in all structures of the organization.
The AU Liaison Office head, however, noted that they are aware that women play a pivotal role in the economy but to achieve this to the highest level, it should be attacked from the bottom, including from the family level-working and making sure that the girl child education is paramount.
He further stated that the Legislature needs to be a part of this process to the fullest because attacking issues that affect the girl child education and early marriage will make Africa stronger; adding: “Until we are able to do that we will still have problems.”
According to the Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection, Madam Williametta Saydee Tarr, research has shown that women continue to make enormous contributions to successes within the global economy, including in businesses, on farms, as entrepreneurs, as employees, and also by doing unpaid care work at home.
Minister Tarr lamented that women unfortunately remain disproportionately affected by poverty, discrimination, and exploitation.
“Such a social phenomenon precisely denotes gender discrimination and it is presumably a direct trigger for women experiencing insecurity, low-wage jobs, and constitutes a small minority of those in senior positions,” the Minister added.
She further stated that despite the relegating phenomenon confronting the women space, she is equally optimistic that the future of women economic empowerment is promising.
The program was climax by a training section for members of the country team intended to give them more highlights about the project implementation and mission.