Women Urges President Boakai To Employ A Minimum of 30% Women in His Cabinet

The Women NGOs Secretariat of Liberia in collaboration with its network organizations congratulate Amb. Joseph Nyumah Boakai and Hon. Jeremiah Kpan Koung, the Unity Party and its collaborating parties for their election during the 2023 General and Presidential Elections.

The Women group use occasion bring to the attention of  the Liberian leader  what they call the numerous challenges the women of Liberia face, particularly inequalities and proportionality in leadership and decision-making at all levels.

“Mr. President Women in Liberia have expressed their interest in having more gender balance in appointed positions. 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” They said..

The expressed the hope that that the Liberian leader will make a minimum of 30% women in his  cabinet with a view towards gender balance at all levels of appointment within the executive branch.

They also call on him, to  consider carefully also the position of Gender Minister, as there is a great need for a minister who can unite the women’s movement and mobilize the women towards a more peaceful, democratic and prosperous country.

Similarly, women comprise just 4-6% 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.

They implore you to do your utmost to appoint more women to these positions. Women’s movement organizations and networks stand ready to support you to identify suitable candidates for appointed positions at local and national level.

Liberian women they indicated 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. To promote more transformative changes for gender equality and women’s empowerment, we implore your administration to commit to supporting legislative reform to address the issue of women’s underrepresentation, women’s sexual and reproductive health and rights.

According to them, 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.

The women statement noted that, institutional reforms and appropriate investment are also sorely needed to address the scourge of violence against women girls in this country, prevent violence and end the culture of impunity for acts of violence against them.  60% of Liberian women and girls have experienced physical violence, almost 10% 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” they noted.

They under the underscore need to conduct a nationwide reconciliation after the 2023 General and Presidential Election is paramount taking into consideration the dissemination of Mis-information and Dis-information during and after the elections, that has the propensity to disrupt the fragile peace we now enjoy. .

They pointed out that, as Liberia transition to a new leadership, they commit to remain peaceful. We 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.

“It is our ardent hope that all Liberians will remain productively committed to work collectively in the interest of all Liberians. We look forward to a government that will not be compromised for individual ambitions. Allegiance to Liberia must remain the common denominator for sustaining peace and the pursuit of development” they said..

“Mr. President- the women of Liberia under the banner of the Women NGOs Secretariat of Liberia (WONGOSOL), request a meeting with you to present our position.”

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