At World Radio Day Celebration In Liberia On Monday
PHOTO: Cross-section of participants at today’s WRD program
By George Stewart
GANTA, Liberia- At the World Radio Day celebrations in this northeastern city today, Monday, February 13, 2023, ECOWAS Ambassador to Liberia, Madam Josephine Nkrumah called on the media to lift women’s agenda in the October presidential and legislative elections.
Speaking through a proxy, Ambassador Nkumah told a cross-section of community radio journalists and other media practitioners that community radio bridges the gaps between the rural communities and national scene, therefore prompting the need for a greater and powerful community voice to protect and seek women’s agenda.
This year’s World Radio Day is the 12th edition, which is being held under the theme, Radio and Peace, and the celebration is being organized by the Association of Liberia Community Radio (ALICOR) with support from Internews and funding by USAID.
Radio continues to be one of the most trusted and used media in the world, according to different local and international reports.
The ECOWAS envoy reminded participants at this year’s world Radio Day in Ganta that since Liberia’s returned to democracy in 2006, Liberian women have made tremendous impact in the governance of Liberia.
Amb. Josephine Nkrumah
Amb. Nkrumah referenced post-war elections and presidency of former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf( 2006-2018).
Madam Nkrumah however, called the media’s attention to the issue she referred as “Women suffer hostility in the Liberian politics”. She sided with renowned women activists who say that Liberian women suffer imbalances in a highly male dominant political competition, particularly in elections.
This, she said, rang from economic to physical and emotional marginalization, women political candidates.
The ECOWAS envoy thinks the media coverage should consider marginalized people such as women and people living with disabilities.
Need for media to be independent
Speaking further on the role of the media in the upcoming elections, Ambassador Nkrumah asked the media to serve the public with independent news and information outside of partisanship or loyalty to any particular political party or individuals.
Also speaking, the Swedish Embassy’s Deputy Head of Mission and the Head of Development Cooperation, Johan Romare identified three core terms, for him, journalists should uphold in these Elections.
Mr. Romare named “Freedom”, “Independence” and “Professionalism”. He explained that the media should work unhindered, uninfluenced, and guided by ethical values. Johan called Liberians including the media to realize the responsibility the country has to hold the October Elections in the absence of UN peacekeeping missions.
The World Radio Day celebration in Ganta includes media development activities under the Internews/USAID funded Liberia Media Activity, a project of 5-year duration.
One of the development activities is the validation of Liberia’s draft community radio policy meant to be submitted to the Legislature subsequently.