PHOTO: First-time voters group meets presidential candidate Sarah Beslow Nyanti
As part of the project titled “Young Democrats Program: Mobilizing First Time Voters to Support Democracy Values, Electoral Processes and Enhance Sustainable Democracy in Liberia,” the Project management Team of the Young Women Actions for Rights, Peace and Development (YWARPD) has met with the Standard Bearer of the African Liberation League (ALL), Madam Sarah Beyslow Nyanati in Monrovia.
The project, which is supported by the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), seeks to increase first time voters’ turnout in the 2023 election and to further empower young women and men to build a community of young civic actors who are passionate about democracy.
Speaking during the meeting, the Executive Director of YWARD, Ms Richelle Allison said that the project was designed to amplify the voices and roles of first-time voters and ensure their meaningful participation in democratic initiatives in Liberia.
YWARPD Director Ms. Allison and presidential candidate Madam Sarah Beyslow Nyanati
She narrated that her organization has already hosted a First Time Voters Conference, launched a civil education campaign for first Time voters under the theme: Our Democracy, Our Election, Our Votes, Our Future as well as hosted two First Town Voters Town Hall Meetings with Representative Aspirants in District 2 and District 8. The Executive Director, who is also a First Time Voter, also spoke about the First Time Voters Manifesto, which ‘was developed by First Time Voters to capture the views of First Time Voters, as it relates to their concerns for the upcoming election.
She further described their meeting with the ALL-Standard Bearer as been part of their engagements with Political Parties and called on ALL to sign the First Time Voters Manifesto and ensure the participation of First-Time voters in the electoral process.
For her part, Mrs Beyslow Nyanatio commended the executives of YWARPD for their initiative and pledged the support of ALL to the project activities. She disclosed that she was looking forward to any engagement with First Time Voters which will be organized by YWARPD and said that her party was willing to work to ensure that the voices of first-time voters are heard.