By Amos Harris
Liberia’s chapter of the African Women Leaders’ Network (AWLN) has launched a landmark National Dialogue on Positive Masculinity, urging men and women to work together to reshape cultural attitudes and advance inclusive leadership across the country.
The event, held on Wednesday, September 10, 2025, at the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Ministerial Complex in Congo Town, brought together political leaders, diplomats, UN representatives, lawmakers, and civil society actors in a unified call for gender partnership.
At the heart of the dialogue was a transformative vision: redefining masculinity from dominance to partnership and support, a shift seen as critical for gender equality in Liberia and throughout Africa.
Former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Global Patron of AWLN, opened the forum by challenging Liberian women to take ownership of their future. “This is not about sitting idly by,” Sirleaf declared. “This effort requires each and every one of us. Women must rise up, take charge, and hold the future in their hands.”
She emphasized that women’s leadership isn’t just about representation but about shaping Liberia’s destiny, pointing to trailblazers like Angie Brooks Randall, who presided over the United Nations General Assembly in 1969. “Gender balance remains the key to national progress,” Sirleaf said, noting Liberia’s history of women making significant contributions both at home and on the global stage.
Comfort Lamptey, UN Women’s Country Representative to Liberia, reinforced the message of partnership. “Women are nation-builders,” she said. “But progress can only be accelerated when men and women join efforts as equal partners. Positive masculinity is not about diminishing men’s roles, but about ensuring both genders contribute equally to a stronger future.” She appealed to President Joseph Nyuma Boakai to champion stronger women’s participation in governance and to rally other African leaders behind gender equality.
Gbeme Horace Kollie, Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection, emphasized that women’s leadership is “not optional, but key” to Liberia’s development. “To build a better Liberia, women must be given space and opportunity at every level of decision-making,” she said, highlighting girls’ education as central to equality.
Delivering the keynote address on behalf of Vice President Jeremiah Kpan Koung, Justice Minister and Attorney General Cllr. Natu Oswald Tweh called the dialogue a “call to action” for inclusive governance. “This is the time to redefine our history,” Tweh said. “With collective responsibility, we can achieve true gender equality. Men and women alike are essential to building a future that reflects our shared knowledge, experiences, and aspirations.” He urged Liberians to embrace positive masculinity as a tool for national healing in a country still emerging from years of conflict.
Ambassador Marjon V. Kamara, Chair of AWLN Liberia, described the event as a milestone since the chapter’s 2019 launch. She credited the Government of Germany and UN Women for their support while stressing the need to bridge perceptions about women’s leadership capabilities. “Men and boys, women and girls must come together to challenge stereotypes,” she noted.
AWLN, established in 2017 as a joint initiative of the African Union, UN Women, and Germany, now operates in 39 national chapters and focuses on six key action areas: political participation, peace and security, economic empowerment, social transformation, youth engagement, and positive masculinity.
Despite progress, Liberia still lags in women’s political participation, with women holding less than 15% of legislative seats, according to civil society reports. Panelists, including CSA Director General Josiah F. Joekai, Assistant Minister of Internal Affairs William Jallah, and Grand Bassa County lawmaker Thomas Alexander Goshus, explored the cultural and social construction of masculinity. They warned against the dangers of toxic masculinity and championed the benefits of gender partnership. “Positive masculinity is about men embracing supportive, respectful, and equitable relationships,” one panelist remarked. “Strength lies not in dominating women, but in empowering them.”
The dialogue concluded with AWLN Liberia’s pledge to hold annual forums on positive masculinity, expand community-based programs, advocate for women candidates in upcoming elections, and push for educational reforms that promote equality. “This is not a one-off event,” Ambassador Kamara stressed. “It is the beginning of a movement that will require persistence, dialogue, and partnerships.”
Closing the gathering, Sirleaf left participants with a reminder of the collective stakes. “We are all equal in representing our country,” she said. “This is about a collective journey toward building a Liberia where men and women walk side by side.” The challenge now, she added, is to turn commitments into tangible action, ensuring that the momentum from the event ignites a new era of gender partnership and inclusive leadership in Liberia and beyond.
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