-Vows To Support 17 Female Senatorial Aspirants To Win December 8 Elections
The African Women Leaders Network (AWLN) Liberia Chapter with support from United Nations Women holds a special event to introduce and solicit support for female candidates contesting in the December 8, 2020 senatorial elections.
The event which was held under the theme: “women political participation and representation is crucial-the time is now” seeks to rally resources to aid the 17 women candidates that are contesting in the pending December 8, 2020 senatorial midterm election.
The 17 women candidates include: Senator Nyonblee Karnga-Lawrence, Magdalene Harris, Dorothy Toomann, Botoe Kanneh, Hawa Corned Borpleh, Jebeh Dekel Brown, Felicia Duncan, Betrice Wonnah Johnsson, Edith Gonglo-Weh, Grace Scotland-Briama, Rosalind Sneh, Janjay Bloh, Envangeline Israel King, Siah Jarmie Tandanpolie, Cecilia Siaway Teah, Mariamu Beyan Fofana, Dedeh Nohr Jones, Julie Fatorma Wiah and Princess S. Macauley.
The move by African Women Leaders Network and UN Women is as a result of the low women representation in the Liberian House of Parliament.
Pledging her organization’s support to these women aspirants, UN Women Country Representative Marie Goreth Nizigama terms as timely and worthy the initiative considering the emergency in the House of Senate; there may be no woman if none of the 17 female aspirants win in the pending elections.
Madam Nizigama asserted that December 8, 2020 sounds like judgment day as such it behoves them at the UN to pay keen attention to these pools ensuring that women immerged victor.
“The national chapter of the African Women Leaders Network organized the meeting with objective that we can meet the candidates and home in their actual needs. There are many challenges that we cannot address in silos excepted we put all hands-on deck,” she stated.
The UN Women Country Representative further that while no country has achieved gender equality, it is now time to accelerate efforts with added momentum for the realization of gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls in these difficult times.
Madam Nizigama mentioned the Beijing Platform of Action which according to her holds a special meaning for all as it lays emphasis on enhancing political representation and participation of women adding “And our “ask” for today is having 50% women in all decision-making levels.”
Madam Nizigama unveils that UN Women have an elaborate communication plan underway as well as technical support for these women with hope to provide other strategic support as may be articulated in addition to much needed high level advocacy for success in these polls.
Also remarking, the political leader of liberty party, Nyonblee Karnga-Lawrence said she is the only woman left in the lion den as such the need to elect more women in the house of senate cannot be overemphasized.
The Bassa Senator wants the people of Grand Bassa to reelect her on grounds that she have been tested and one of the strongest floor fighters amongst 29 men in the Liberian senate.
She bewailed “I have been pushing women issues talking about SGBV, good governance, corruption have been strongly fought with one woman that is why we need more women to be voter.”
She mentioned that women as caring leaders and deserve the space at the political table with the men.
Accordingly; Ambassador Marjon Kamara, Co-Chair, AWLN Liberia Chapter acknowledges the confidence and courage that the 17 women have demonstrated in joining the senatorial race.
Of the 116 contestants listed by the national elections commission, 20 of them are women, this Madam Kamara term as a momentous occasion as she encourages these women to stand film.
she indicated that women presence adds values in any undertaking be it political or social and we must make that happen hoping that participants will leave fully convinced of the idea of women supporting women something she link to the low women representation in the National Legislature.
“We were motivated by the very dismal statistics on women’s current representation in the legislature of Liberia. The situation in the Liberia senate, where there is only one woman out of 30 members has banning on women voices.”
AWLN was establishing in 2017 as a joint initiative of the African Union and UN Women with support from the federal Republic of Germany. The overarching objective of AWLN is to support the empowerment of African women economically, financially, and politically so that they are able to contribute meaningfully to the transformation of our continent.
AWLN has established national chapters in 25 African countries including Liberian. The Liberian chapter was officially launch in Monrovia in December 2019 to ensure active promotion of women’s increased participation and representation in political governance would be our organization’s first priority in 2020.
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