Monrovia – The Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection with support from the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality, UN Women, on Tuesday held a one-day National Awareness & Validation of Beijing Platform Action Report.
The national awareness is a landmark document aimed at advancing the right of women and gender equality.
In his opening statement to the participants, United Nations Resident Coordinator in Liberia Yacoub El Hillo said it’s crucial to engage all stakeholders and carry on validation awareness in Support of Women rights, including their active participation with men in the Society.
He emphasized that the awareness was to sensitize men and youth on issues relating to gender equality.
For her part, Gender Minister Wilhelmina Piso Saydee Tarr stressed the importance to stage the National Awareness to validate the Beijing Platform for Action (BPFA) to get women involved with knowing their rights and share out equally with men in every aspect of the society.
“Advancing gender equality is essential to the Government’s plan to grow the middle class, help the people work to join it, which will strengthen Liberia’s Economy,” Minister Tarr.
“That is why the Government of Liberia is working through the Gender Ministry and its partners with support from the UN Women to ensure that its policies, programs, legislation, and decision-making benefit everyone by using the Gender-based Analysis plus (GBA+).”
According to her, the GBA+ is a tool that takes into consideration the many identity factors that impact Liberia’s experiences, including sex and gender, race, national or ethnic indignity, age, sexual orientation, socio-economic condition among other things.
Also speaking, Swedish Ambassador to Liberia Ingrid Wettergvist outlined how it’s important for the validation of the BPFA.
She encouraged women to be generous to one another as they make efforts to compete with each other because of the limited position or opportunities available to women in the country.
She also stressed the importance of the role of men in helping women achieve their goals of promoting and enhancing women participation in the society.
For his part, ECOWAS Ambassador to Liberia and Special Representative of the ECOWAS commission, Babatunde Ajisomo also pledged the regional organization’s support to the National Awareness & Validation of the BPFA.