Monrovia – The Women Wing of the ruling Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) is recommending to its Governing Council to include more women so as to promote inclusiveness. Presently, the GC which happens to be the highest decision-making body of the party, has a single woman out of 21 members.
Representing the Women Wing of the CDC, the Co-Chair of the CDC Women Wing and Chair of the National Patriotic Party Women’ Wing, Madame Mary Q. Johnson stressed that her party needs to do more in promoting female participation in politics.
“Because now if you look at the Legislature and even in local government, the women of Liberia are not really seen. When we travel to the rural areas, we also realize that almost all of the chiefs are men,” stressed Madame Johnson.
She added that they [the CDC Women Wing] are speaking on behalf of the women of Liberia and not just women of the CDC.
“This party is the ruling party and they have the responsibility to do more to bring women on board so that the voices of women are heard in the society and the world at large.”
She was speaking on Wednesday at the African Women Leaders Network (AWLN) Liberia Chapter consultations with the Women Wing of the Coalition for Democratic Change.
Giving her opening statements, the head of the Liberian Chapter of AWLN, Ambassador Marjon Kamara stated that, since the launch of ALWN in Liberia in 2019 of December, the ‘first priority’ of the network has been fostering women’s participation and representation in political governance.
“In time we intend to also intervene in other areas as it relates to empowerment and engaging women at the same offering mentorship to them[women],” explained Amb Kamara.
Also speaking, the Deputy Minister of Gender, Alice Howe stated that as Liberia prepares for the senatorial election come December, the Ministry hopes to see a lot of women voices being heard.
“Women’s full participation to ensure that our voices are heard in the National Legislature so that we just don’t be at the back all of the time,” stated Min Howe
Also speaking via Zoom, UN Women Representative to Liberia, Madame Marie Goreth Nizigama stated that it is against the background of promoting women’s political empowerment, mentorship and economic empowerment that the ALWN Liberia chapter has taken up the initiative to engage with other stakeholders. The ALWN Liberia chapter was established in December of 2019
“To engage in high level advocacy and lobbying for the message of gender provisions laws, including electoral law reform amendment, which was represented to the National Legislative by the NEC in March of 2020,” stated Madame Nizigama
ALWN was established in 2017 in Newyork as a joint initiative of the African Union and the Women with support of the Federal government of Germany. The objective is to support empowerment of African Women economically, financially and politically so that they are able to contribute meaningfully to the transformation of Africa.
The event is being held under the project: Women Political Empowerment and Leadership project with support from the government of Canada.