By Precious D Freeman
President George Manneh Weah joined Liberian women in observance of what appeared to be a pre-intonational women’s day celebration on Friday, March 3 in Monrovia.
Making remarks, President Weah attested that women’s participation in political process is of paramount importance to the growth and development of Liberia.
According to him, his government intends to exert its best efforts to ensure that women across Liberia understand the new digital voter registration process, and are registered within the allotted time-frame.
He made the remarks on the occasion marking the celebration of the International Women’s Day, under the Global Theme: “Digital Innovation and Technology for Gender Equality” and the National Theme: “Innovating with Technology to Promote Gender Equality.”
The celebration that was held at the EJS Ministerial Complex at Tubman Boulevard Congo Town, over the weekend brought together thousands of women and men from different organizations who made the celebration colorful.
Speaking further, President Weah mentioned that it gave him great pleasure to join others in the celebration of International Women’s Day, 2023.
“This is a day that is set aside annually to celebrate women’s accomplishments; to recognize the rights and power of women; to give women the prominence they deserve; to honor their voices that go unheard, their tears that go unnoticed, and their rights that are mostly dominated by their male counterparts” he said.
He added that within the context of this year’s Global and National Themes, he wishes to assure the nation that his government will continue to work closely with all partners and stakeholders in ensuring that women are empowered, by “Innovating with Technology to Promote Gender Equality.”
“We will continue to enhance capacity-building for vulnerable groups, including women and adolescent girls, to include training in business development skills, as well as literacy and numeracy training” he maintained.
President Weah thanked the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning, as well as the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, for securing US$44.6 million through the World Bank for the Liberia Women Empowerment Project.
“I am informed that this project will provide women and girls with grants to enable them to start new businesses or expand their existing businesses across various sectors of our economy, as well as provide them with the relevant training and mentoring so that they are successful in such business ventures. Additionally, this project will cover women’s access to land, credit facilities, and tools for agricultural development” he assured.
“We will enhance our strategic partnerships with the private sector, with support from all stakeholders and donors, including the United Nations, European Union, World Bank, and Sweden, to ensure that the needed financial resources are available to support this objective” the Liberian President stated.
“In this regard, we have already made some progress in bridging the digital gender gap on widening economic and social inequalities. For example, we now have a Call Center for the reporting of SGBV cases, as well as for maternal health issues, and child protection issues” he bragged.
He continued, “As a government, we are now using the technology of mobile money to make electronic payments of Daily Subsistence Allowances. The Liberia Social Safety Nets Programs also utilize the mobile money platform to ensure that vulnerable households, particularly female-headed households, receive cash grant payments.”
He intoned that the government is also leveraging digital inclusion for the economic empowerment of rural women entrepreneurs and smallholders, by giving them improved access to markets, as well as training and other commercial opportunities, through the use of digital platforms.
In terms of disaster risk reduction, “we continue to improve women’s access to risk transfer and finance by enhancing digital mobile-enabled disaster alerts, such as weather forecasts and climate-smart agricultural advisories on digital platforms,” he assured.
The Liberian President also promised that he will continue to provide support for ensuring women safety from all forms of violence, including sexual and gender-based violence, particularly rape.
“We remain firm that no perpetrator of any form of sexual or gender-based violence will go free. When found guilty, you will face the full force of the law, which will be applied without fear or favor” President Weah assured all women.
“Our mothers and women of Liberia, we thank you all for your guidance and mentorship. Because of you, some of us were where we were yesterday; today, we are where we are simply because of you; in the future, we will be where we will be because of you – because of your love, your care, your support, your advice, and your commitment to a better Liberia” he said.
“Because our Liberian women are so special, because our Liberian women deserve more, because our Liberian women are powerful and resilient, I am pleased and honored at this time to declare the month of March as “Liberian Women’s Month” President Weah mentioned.
Meanwhile, he is encouraging all political actors to uphold the requirements of the signed guidelines on Violence against Women in Elections and Politics.
‘We want to thank and encourage all of our International Partners to continue their support and interventions as per our national development plan, the Pro-poor Agenda for Prosperity and Development, in order to achieve gender equality within the context of the Sustainable Development Goals” he said.
