The Women NGOs Secretariat of Liberia (WONGOSOL), in collaboration with its network organizations, have petitioned the new government to have a balanced government where women will be given equal opportunities to serve in key government positions as their male counterparts.
“President Boakai, the women of Liberia would like to use this medium to congratulate you on your inauguration and bring to your attention the numerous challenges the women of Liberia face, particularly inequalities and proportionality in leadership and decision-making at all levels,” WONGOSOL’s Executive Director, Esther Davis Yango, said.
Madam Yango called on the President adding, “We hope that your government will be able to commit and deliver on its obligations to regional and international instruments and to Liberian women to promote legal and policy reforms.”
“We hope that you will make use of the minimum of 30 percent and appoint more women in your cabinet to ensure gender balance at all levels within the government.” Madam Yango said
She said WONGOSOL will think that the President carefully considers appointing a person who has a unifying spirit and hard-working as Minister of Gender.
“There is a great need for a Minister who can unite and mobilize women’s groups and lead them towards a more peaceful, democratic, and prosperous country,” the WONGOSOL ED said.
Madam Yango observed that women occupy between just 4-6 percent of Liberia’s chieftaincy positions, from the general town chief to the paramount chief, and are similarly underrepresented at the level of township and district commissioners and district and county superintendents/development superintendents.
“We implore you to do your utmost to appoint more women to these positions,” she pleaded.
She maintained that women’s movement, organizations, and networks, stand ready to support the new government to identify suitable candidates for appointed positions at local and national level, noting that they are deeply concerned at the persistence of harmful traditional practices, patriarchal attitudes, and deep-rooted stereotypes regarding the roles and responsibilities of women and men.
She added that to promote more transformative changes for gender equality and women’s empowerment, they called on the Boakai-led administration to commit itself to supporting legislative reforms intended to address the issue of women’s underrepresentation, sexual and reproductive health and rights, as well as combat violence against women and girls and stereotypes.
“The Electoral Reform Bill and the Public Health Bill are two key pieces of legislation which could help address women’s marginalization from politics and public life and provide women with more reproductive choices and freedoms, as well as reduce maternal mortality,” she asserted.
Madam Yango argued that Institutional reforms and appropriate investments are also sorely needed to address the scourge of violence against women and girls in this country, prevent violence, and end the culture of impunity for acts of violence against them, adding that 60 percent of Liberian women and girls have experienced physical violence, almost 10 percent have experienced sexual violence, and cases of femicide appear to be on the increase.
“We also know how important agricultural reform will be to this administration and hope that policies and programs will include a specific focus on empowering rural women and women in agriculture and the agricultural value chain,” she emphasized.
She pointed out that the need to conduct a nationwide reconciliation after the 2023 General and Presidential Elections is paramount, taking into consideration the dissemination of misinformation and disinformation during and after the elections, that has the propensity to disrupt the fragile peace we now enjoy.
“Therefore, as we transition to a new leadership, we commit to remain peaceful, reaffirm our commitment to uphold the rule of law, and work closely with the government to ensure that the Liberian Women’s Agenda is prioritized,” the WONGOSOL boss stated.
“It is our ardent hope that all Liberians will remain productively committed to work collectively in the interest of all Liberians, and we look forward to a government that will not be compromised for individual ambitions,” she expressed.
Madam Yango said allegiance to Liberia must remain the common denominator for sustaining peace and the pursuit of development.
