THE FORMER PRESIDENT, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, on Sunday launched an initiative known as the “Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Presidential Center for Women and Development” along with its flagship program named the Amujae Initiative.
“AMUJAE” IS A Kru dialect phrase which means “WE ARE GOING UP” and the event coincided with the global celebration of International Women’s Day, which is March 8.
ITS MISSION IS to inspire and prepare women to unapologetically take up roles in the highest echelons of public and private leadership across Africa and to bring other women along.
DURING THE MAIDEN Amujae Forum, which ended over the weekend, participants were coached and mentored by some of the continent’s most prominent public leaders, including former Malawian President, Dr. Joyce Banda and former Central African Republic President, Catherine Samba-Panza.
OTHER COUCHES INCLUDED Madam Sirleaf herself and recently appointed Deputy Managing Director of IMF, Antoinette Sayeh while the mentees also received training from leading experts in communications, advocacy, planning, and finance amongst other areas.
Madam Sirleaf said that her initiative is intended to help women excel in a higher position in the public spaces and also help them achieve as well as empower them to help each another.
ACCORDING TO THE former President, regardless of their ages or where they come from, women have so much to do for each other in Africa, adding that they have fought hard to hold their dreams, values and ambitions.
SHE THEN URGED visiting guests to be mentors to the younger women as well as to join hands to dream bigger dreams than they could ever imagine.
ALSO SPEAKING AT the forum, President George Manneh Weah hailed the initiative and said Liberians remain proud due to the “notable achievements” of Madam Sirleaf.
WE COMMEND THE former President for this worthy initiative principally aimed at getting more women in national leadership which if effected properly will give us a giant leap away from mere rhetorical speeches of inequalities and apple-polishing attitudes of inclusion into real time actions for generational equality.
WE ARE AWARE that this low representation of women in Liberia’s governance is not only unique to this country and this is why we are happy that this would not only be circumscribed to our country, but others outside the borders of Liberia.
HOWBEIT, THIS COUNTRY should see the issue of representation as a serious matter and at this time of massive advocacy for gender equity, there are still strong indications of law women representation.
In the Liberian Senate which comprises of 30 persons, there is only one female, Nyonblee Karnga-Lawrence of Grand Bassa County, while the House of Representatives with 73 seats, only nine are females. In the Cabinet, there are only three females, Health, Agriculture and Gender.
INDEED, SOMETHING MUST be done to reverse this negative trend as our Judicial Branch of government looking at the numbers of circuit court judges and judicial workers in positions of trust, this too suggests that low representation of females is glaring.
ONCE MORE, WE say BRAVO to the former President for this worthy initiative, which would be involved in a unique blend of programming, advocacy, research and exhibitions, if this Center is to advance women’s public leadership and social development on the continent.
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