Liberia: Community Healthcare Initiative Embarks on ‘She Leads Project’ in Six Counties to Promote Young Girls In Politics and Civil Leadership
Buchanan, Grand Bassa County- Community Healthcare Initiative in partnership with DCI-Liberia and Plan International over the weekend hosted a joint Feminist program styled “She Leads” in Buchanan City, Grand Bassa County.
The Program, according to the Community Healthcare Initiative Executive Director, Mrs. Naomi Tulay-Solanke is aimed at creating an enabling environment where Girls and Young Women will have a safe space to amplify their Voices without any intimidation at national, regional and international levels.
She said the project “She Leads Liberia” consortium has brought together child rights organizations, feminist/women’s rights organizations, and Girls and Young Women-led groups. It is also aimed at increasing sustained influence of girls and GYW on decision-making and the transformation of gender norms in formal and informal institutions.
“The project will be achieved through the following interventions: The enhancement of collective action of girls and young women in a gender-responsive civil society (civil society domain); support increased acceptance of positive social gender norms and to create enabling meaningful participation of girls and young women in decision-making by political institutions.”
The project headed by Community Healthcare Initiative (CHI) and its partners on Saturday kickoff in Grand Bassa and Montserrado to train and safeguard several young women and girls in communities and market places on cultural norms.
She said there is more that needs to be done to increase the awareness on issues confronting young women in their daily lives as they celebrate the 16-Days of activism.
“We will lobby with traditional and religious leaders in creating awareness through media engagement on the positive impact of Social Cultural Norms faced by young women and girls by conducting more sessions to discuss issues that are affecting young women and girls,” she said.
The program with the Bassa Women Development Association (BAWODA) on Saturday was held among several young women and girls Safeguarding risks and safety that will Support girls’ presence to occupy Safe spaces on national international platforms.
She said the project is meant to decrease negative social norms confronting young women and girls in Lofa, Nimba, Bomi, Grand Bassa, Cape Mount, and Montserrado, and promote them in politics and civil leadership opportunities for girls and push for their seats in all National Gender Responsive Legislations.
“We have already started Interactions through circle discussions, reflections, and Community Mobilization Objectives to provide Self-Care and further train girls on risks and safety on how to participate in international events and support traditional and religious leadership by creating awareness through print and electronic Media engagements.”
“Increase positive impact of Social Cultural Norms and knowledge about where to look for safe spaces, signs of risks, identifying allies to join.”
She also called on traditional leaders to help young women to influence social and traditional norms and become agents of change for non-discriminatory norms and lead a change in the knowledge, attitude, and practices that will promote Gender Equality and inclusion.