By Alfred Kollie, alfredkolliejr92@gmail.com
In its quest to augment the government’s efforts in empowering women across Liberia, an International NGO dubbed, ‘International Women of Success is expected to officially launch women empowerment program for single parents, vulnerable women, and women in the ghettos.
Women empowerment is a critical aspect of achieving gender equality which includes increasing a women sense of self-worth, her decision-making power, her access to opportunities and resources.
Empowering women is also essential to the health and social development of families and countries.
In Liberia, studies by Social Workers show that women have fewer opportunities for economic participation than men, less access to basic and higher education, greater health and safety risks, and less political representation.
Single parents lack the means to obtain financial support and business skills and capacity-building training for the survivability of their family.
When women are living safe, fulfilled and productive lives, they can reach their full potential and contribute their skills to the workforce and raise happier and healthier children, the NGO says.
The official launching ceremony is expected to take place on the 29th of October 2022 in Paynesville outside the nation capital, Monrovia.
“A third of all children in Liberia are young children – under the age of 5. Though much has improved in child survival and development in Liberia over the years, many children are still not getting the support they need in early life,” says a UNICEF report. The situation for children in Liberia | UNICEF Liberia
Disclosing to reporters during the group’s regular meeting in Paynesville City, the Organization focus person in Liberia, Pastor Roland Chester said the program is aimed at alleviating poverty in Liberia, especially among vulnerable disabled women, among others.
Pastor Chester further noted that the program will also focus on training those women with basic skills in egg production, tailoring and business of their choice which will serve as a means of empowering them in providing for their families.
According to him, women in Liberia, especially single parents who lost their husbands either during the 14yrs civil crisis or by sickness, are finding it difficult to provide parental care for their children, as such it is important to be a blessing to them by providing those basic social needs for their survivability.
The Divine Miracle Delivering Healing Ministry Preacher however, blamed politicians in Liberia for being the cause of the suffering of those women due to their refusal to invest in vocational education that will empower those Liberia women.
He therefore described such politicians as heartless and very wicked set of citizens.
“Politicians are criminal in nature, we don’t need their support, they are wicked and evil set of people. The government is also heartless because they are aware of most of these but choose not to intervene therefore, we don’t need politics into this, if you are coming to support us, it should be based on humanitarian initiatives,” Pastor Chester said in an angry tone as he emphasized the urgent need to improve the condition of the single parents.
The Liberian cleric told Journalists that he does not need any support from any politician or government for any political reasons except it is for humanitarian purposes.