–As the Third Strategic Steering Meeting of AWLN ends in Monrovia on Tuesday
By Mafanta Kromah, mafanta.kromah@gmail.com
Monrovia, Liberia- The third strategic steering meeting of the African Women Leadership Network (AWLN) ends in Monrovia on Tuesday.
The African Women Leadership Network was launched in June 2017 at the United Nations headquarters in New York by the UN, African Union Commission, UN Women and Parliament Mission of Germany to strengthen African women leadership for the betterment of Africa in the areas of governance, peace and security.
Former Liberian President and Chief Patron of AWLN, Mrs. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, who opened the meeting on Monday, the African Women Leadership Network or AWLN, told women who fear running for elected positions to use their fate to overcome your fears.
“Your faith has to overcome your fears, step up, take charge, be different, be committed and claim it. If you want leadership, you have to work for it, do it and be it,” she cautioned women.
President Sirleaf said a lot of times have been spent on talking about democracy, but still there are more to be done. Liberia and Africa’s first elected female President asked what it takes to be free in a Democracy? She answered by saying, It takes the building of institution that goes beyond personality, it takes a parliament that you can well relied on to put national interest above self-interest, it takes a judiciary that is committed to the rule of law and it takes women to be recognize in society,” the first female President of Africa narrated.
She challenged women to do all they can for democracy and that one cannot take leadership unless he or she is ready to work for leadership and willing to stand-up for leadership.
Mrs. Sirleaf maintained that movements have been initiated at different times and in different parts of the continent, but in adhering to AWLN and combining efforts, she stressed that the difference they want to make is the common resolve for delivery.
“Indeed, while initial discussions on women leadership were guided by limited progress in political governance, peace and security, AWLN has adopted a comprehensive approach looking at enhancing women leadership from grassroots to the top and ensuring a true translation of Aspiration 6 of Africa Agenda 2063 that puts women and youth at the Centre of Africa’s transformation,” Mrs. Sirleaf indicated.
The Liberian former President also explained that It is necessary that particular attention be paid to the role of young women leaders, women in rural communities and the issue of the access of women to capital and entrepreneurship.
Change is a product of personal commitment forging a solid common agenda, she said. Former President Sirleaf also called on all members of AWLN to renew their commitments and work in synergy to advance an inclusive, transformative agenda for the continent through actions that impact the lives of women and youth on the continent.
“The various pillars of AWLN must define flagship projects, develop their road map and ways to measure regularly delivery, assess challenges and design innovative solutions. I count on you, Members of the AWLN Steering Committee, to finalize in the course this meeting the roadmap to build the AWLN pillars and wish to reiterate my own commitment and readiness to walk the talk with you all,” said former President Sirleaf.
At the same time, the African Union Commission Special Convoy on Women, Peace and Security Chairperson, Bineta Diop said though their network is still young, they are posing concrete actions and has made strides that augur well on delivery on its “Call to Action” that was made in 2017 at the launch of the Network.
The AU envoy explained the proximity approach with women who continue to bear the brunt of conflict in Africa, not only to ensure that the world keeps cognizance of the unjust treatment that women and girls are subjected to; but most importantly to bolster their initiatives as they take lead in finding solutions to situations that have very often lingered on for long, in the hands of men leadership.
Madam Diop asserted that after the launch of the Network, a joint solidarity mission was conducted in the Democratic Republic of Congo, followed by Northern Nigeria affected by Boko Haram.
The mission was carried out under the leadership of AWLN pioneer member and UN Deputy Secretary General, Amina Mohammed, the UN Under-Secretary-General and UN Women Executive Director, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, Pramila Patten, Under Secretary-General and Special Representative on Sexual Violence and other senior UN Women Leaders.
According to her, the network Last year, undertook another joint UN-AU solidarity mission to South Sudan, the Lake Chad Basin and the Sahel region. These missions, she said enabled the delegations to assess the nature, relevance and ability of the operations by Member States and partners to address the needs of the communities, particularly women and girls, affected by conflict.
As part of their endeavor to ensure that women voices are heard much clearer, the AU official said the network has invited women leaders from the visited grass root communities to address the Un Security Council and the AU Peace and Security.
She then stressed the need for an approach that enhances the nexus between peace, security and development. This she claimed “drives the message that concerns for security should not be limited to military security but most importantly must address the Human security angle for them to be relevant to communities.
Ms. Leymah Gbowee, Nobel Peace Laureate and few are expected to visit and listen to women of Cameroon, strengthen their action through their National Action Plan for Women, Peace and Security in their search for solutions for stability in their country.
The Special envoy of the AU Commission, Madam Diop said that the agenda may sound a tall order, but African women have demonstrated their resilience in the face of much more challenging situations, and requested they renew their call to action and mobilization to drive the change agenda with determination, with unity of purpose and federation of strength.
For her part, the Country Director of UN Women-Liberia, Marie Goreth Nizigamacalled on the leaders gathered to lend their voices and support to the Liberian sisters in their quest for greater participation in leadership and decision making in the country.
She said women participation in leadership position in the government is still very low and maintained it is an alarming situation and calls for immediate and urgent action for all stakeholders, while she described it as an emergency!
“I implore you to continue this laudable initiative to build solidarity across the continent to strengthen women’s leadership and participation in decision making,” she said.
Statistically, there are low women participation in leadership and decision making in Liberia, out of 73 representatives, there are only nine women representatives in the HOR and there’s only one woman out of 30 senators (29 currently). In the 19 ministries, Liberia have just two female minister proper, and out of 19 cabinet members, women represent three. Over 2,000 local government position, women represent less than six percent.
Moreover, the special Representative of the AU Chairperson to Liberia, Ibraham Kamara stated the time is come to change minds, hearts, attitudes and stereotypes as a way of changing the status quo toward the sustainable goals and act of the Africa we want.
This he said can only happened when women participation and representation in government and decision making at all level and all sector of the economic are accepted. “We hope that the initiative of empowering women and girls to become future leaders in the continent will succeed.”
Also attending the ongoing AWLN meeting in Monrovia is Madam Awa Ndiaye-Seck, UN Women Country Director for DR Congo, who delivered speech on behalf of UN Women Executive Director, Phumzile Milambo-Ngcuka.
Madam Ndiaye-Seck spoke about UN Women commitment in launching the AWLN national chapter in various African states. She maintained that DRC, Cote D’ivoire, and other countries have launched their chapter and Liberia is expected to launch it chapter this April.
She noted that governments must be held accountable for their women peace and security commitment, Maputo Protocol, achieving gender parity and the commitment against child marriage and FGM.
“To further address women political participation, we must also work toward ensuring that AWLN national chapter become self-sufficient.”