MONROVIA-The Global Liberia Chapter of the African Women Leaders Network (AWLN) has officially launched a five-year strategic plan to build and boost women transformative leadership skills and practices including transforming discriminatory norms, valves, and public perception in support of women’s leadership.
The five years plan also seeks to increase access to resources for leaders, their organization, and businesses as well as influence the reform and implementation of formal institutions processes policies for women’s leadership.
During the launch, former Liberian President, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf rallied Liberian women to assess their progress and impact in Liberia and other parts of the globe.
She said the assessment will develop a track of where women’s efforts are, where they are going, and what should be done in terms of providing leadership in the country.
Making remarks earlier, AWLN- Liberia chairperson, Amb. Marjon Kamara said the launch of AWLN- Liberia’s 5-years strategic plan marks an important turning point in Liberia and will henceforth have an established framework that will conceptualize programs to address the leadership challenges of women in Liberia.
She said AWLN-Liberia will prioritize women’s political participation and raise awareness about leadership positions in various political parties and as well advocate for greater security for female candidates in elections.
Also speaking, the acting UN Women Deputy Country Representative, Madam Ghoma Karloweah called on partners for more support to enable UN Women to build the capacity of women in different sectors of the country.
Karloweah further pledged the UN Women’s unbending commitment to supporting the women of Liberia.
Equally, Liberian Vice President Jewel Howard Taylor congratulated AWLN for the great achievement and coming up with a five-year roadmap that will direct women ahead of the general and Presidential election scheduled for October 2023.
“AWLN goes across Africa, it intends to mobilize African women in different spheres of life by opening new spaces that women can be a part of, our function is to work and make the difference to impact the next generation so that the work that others did before we came on board, will not be lost,” VP Taylor said.
The launch of the Strategic Plan which was funded by UN Women, brought together scores of Liberian women including former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Vice President Jewel Howard Taylor, acting UN Women Deputy Country Representative Ghoma Karloweah, former Education Minister, Dr. Evelyn Kandakai, Madam Ophelia Hoff Saytumah, Madam Facia Harris, and WONGOSOL head, Esther David among others.
Established in 2009, AWLN-Liberia has engaged collaboratively in a number of programs and events in the absence of a multi-year national plan.
AWLN is a Pan-African network of women leaders promoting women’s leadership with 25 national chapters established in Africa including the Liberia National chapter.
The group’s focus is geared toward transformative leadership, intergenerational mentorship, networking, and advocacy to increase both numerical and substantive which is in line with the Sustainable Development Goal-5 that highlights gender equality ensuring women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership at all leaves of decision making in political, economic and public lives.
Alphonso Toweh
Has been in the profession for over twenty years. He has worked for many international media outlets including: West Africa Magazine, Africa Week Magazine, African Observer and did occasional reporting for CNN, BBC World Service, Sunday Times, NPR, Radio Deutchewells, Radio Netherlands. He is the current correspondent for Reuters
He holds first MA with honors in International Relations and a candidate for second master in International Peace studies and Conflict Resolution from the University of Liberia.