Former Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf declared that while Liberia has made history with women’s leadership, it remains far from true equality.
Monrovia– In a powerful call to action, the African Women Leaders Network (AWLN) Liberia Chapter is urging Liberian men to become active allies in championing women’s leadership.
By Patience M. Jones
At its first national dialogue on “Positive Masculinity: Changing Attitudes Towards Women’s Leadership,” speakers stressed that gender equality cannot be achieved without men changing the attitudes and practices that hold women back.
They called on men in positions of power, influence, and everyday life to create space for women to lead.
Men Must Be Allies
UN Women Country Representative, Comfort Lamptey, emphasized that engaging men is essential to dismantling harmful gender norms.
UN Women Country Representative, Comfort Lamptey, emphasized that engaging men is essential to dismantling harmful gender norms.
“Masculinities are not static. Just like gender roles, masculine roles can change. This potential for change gives us the greatest opportunity to build a gender-equal Liberia,” she said.
Lamptey recommended that at least 30 percent of resources be dedicated to engaging men as allies, while the remainder continues to strengthen women’s voices and opportunities.
Tokenism Is Not Equality
Former Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf declared that while Liberia has made history with women’s leadership, it remains far from true equality.
“One woman president in 184 years is tokenism, not equality,” she stated, urging men to rethink their attitudes toward women as partners at home, in society, and in politics.
Sirleaf also called for Liberia to lead again by ratifying and domesticating the new African Union Convention on the Protection of Women.
Leaders Stress Shared Responsibility
Justice Minister N. Oswald Tweh emphasized that harmful stereotypes about masculinity fuel inequality. “Promoting positive masculinity requires men and boys to become allies in dismantling harmful norms and building a Liberia where women and men contribute equally to progress,” he said.
For her part the Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection, Gbeme Kollie Horace, added that men in authority must deliberately create space for qualified women.
She warned that women’s political representation has fallen to just 11% in 2024, a significant drop from 14.9% in 2006, despite Liberia’s groundbreaking history.
“Women’s leadership is not just a moral right it is a strategic advantage for Liberia’s growth,” Horace stressed.
Also speaking at the conference, former Liberia’s Foreign Minister Marjon V. Kamara, who serves as Chair of the AWLN Liberia Chapter, summed up the message: “Preaching only to women is insufficient men must be engaged as active partners in promoting equality.”
The dialogue concluded with a collective call for men across all generations to support women’s leadership in politics, business, and community life, positioning Liberia once again as a leader in gender equality across Africa.
