By Linus Flomo
The Center for Security Studies and Development (CENSSAD) will launch a series of town hall meetings this December 2024 to engage local women and stakeholders across six counties in Liberia.
The meetings, aimed at promoting nonviolence and national reconciliation, will take place in Lofa, Grand Gedeh, Nimba, Sinoe, Rivercess, and Cape Mount counties.
These counties were selected based on their vulnerability to violence and the historical challenges they face in achieving reconciliation, according to a press release from CENSSAD.
The town hall dialogues are part of CENSSAD’s ongoing project titled “Amplifying Women’s Voices: Understanding and Tearing Down the Barriers to Women’s Participation in Liberia’s peace building and Reconciliation Processes.”
The initiative is designed to address the significant role women play in peace building efforts and to advocate for their inclusion in the processes of national healing and reconciliation.
The meetings will provide local women with the opportunity to apply knowledge they gained during capacity-building training workshops organized by CENSSAD earlier this year.
These workshops focused on empowering women with the tools needed to advocate for their inclusion in peace and reconciliation initiatives at the local level.
During the town hall meetings, women will also be able to express their views on the barriers they face and what local authorities should do to address the marginalization of women in these critical areas.
Participating women will engage with local stakeholders such as county superintendents, city mayors, security personnel, Ministry of Gender representatives, traditional leaders, local authorities, youth, and people with disabilities.
These dialogues are intended to build consensus on how women can be more involved in peace building and reconciliation efforts at the grassroots level.
Through collaborative discussions, community members and women will explore practical steps they can take within their counties to overcome the barriers to women’s participation in these vital processes.
Each town hall meeting will span two days and will culminate in the identification of “Champions for Reconciliation” among the participants.
These Champions will be individuals recognized for their knowledge of reconciliation and their ability to work with local leaders and the Office of the Superintendent to advocate for policies and actions that promote the local reconciliation process.
The project is aligned with the principles of Liberia’s 2003 Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) and the 2017 Liberia Peace building Plan (LPP).
It is funded by the German Federal Foreign Office through the Zivik Funding Program, reinforcing the commitment to building an inclusive and sustainable peace process in Liberia.
Through this initiative, CENSSAD seeks to foster a more inclusive and participatory environment for women in the ongoing efforts to heal and rebuild Liberia, emphasizing their crucial role in shaping the nation’s future.
