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— Highlights Key Findings and Recommendations to Enhance Women’s Political Participation
Monrovia — Sister Aid Liberia (SALI), a women-led non-governmental organization, has officially launched its 16 Days of Activism 2024 Documentary Series and Constituency Report titled “Beyond Limits,” emphasizing the importance of increased women’s political participation in national governance.
The historic event, which brought together former and current national women leaders, international partners, civil society actors, and the media, was held on Tuesday, December 10, 2024, in Monrovia. It was organized under the theme “From Talk to Action! Let’s Join Hands to End Violence Against Women and Girls to Achieve Beijing +30.”
Mobilizing Support for Women’s Political Participation
Providing an overview of the event, SALI’s Acting Executive Director, Ms. Amelia Siah Siafa, highlighted the organization’s goal of mobilizing the national legislature to encourage women’s political participation in the 2029 presidential and legislative elections.
“We, women, have the abilities, intelligence, capacities, local and international connections, and the legal and political understanding of both private and public sectors to effectively run our affairs. We can even do better than some of the men who are in national leadership. We only need their collaboration,” Siafa emphasized.
She further highlighted the need to cultivate a new generation of young leaders, stressing the importance of mentorship and capacity-building opportunities for young women. “It is important to have more strong, courageous, and determined women to change the status quo,” she noted.
Ms. Siafa also praised President Joseph Nyuma Boakai for demonstrating political will through the appointment of many women in his administration, calling on the Liberian government to further increase the number of women in leadership roles.
Call for Gender Parity in Leadership
One of SALI’s donor partners, the Embassy of Ireland, through its Ambassador Gerard Considine, emphasized the need for Liberia to move beyond the 30% gender quota to achieve a 50/50% representation for women.
“Recent SCORE data shows that while both young women and young men have promising views on women’s basic rights, their perception of women’s leadership ability lags behind,” Considine said. He noted that visible examples of women’s leadership and the support of men in leadership positions are crucial to transforming public perceptions.
Showcasing Role Models and Success Stories
The event featured speeches from local and international guests, with commitments made to support increased women’s political participation. Prominent women leaders, including former Vice President Jewel Howard-Taylor, Senate President Pro Tempore Nyonblee Karnga-Lawrence, and Foreign Affairs Minister Sara Beysolow Nyanti, shared their experiences and challenges as women in politics. Their narratives aimed to inspire the next generation of women leaders in Liberia.
Key Findings from the 2024 Report
The 2024 “Beyond Limits” Documentary Series and Constituency Report identified several potential barriers to women’s political participation, including:
Perceptions of Women Candidates: Many respondents believed women candidates lacked financial strength, were new to politics, started campaigns late, and were “weak-minded.”
Electoral Preferences: While some participants preferred women candidates for their organization skills, representational capacity, and compassion, others favored male candidates, citing familiarity and perceived responsiveness to community needs.
Gender Bias in Voting Patterns: The report found no direct link between voter preferences for women candidates and actual voting behavior, as voters prioritized familiarity and perceived accessibility over gender.
Media Access and Cyber Violence: While access to media was not seen as a major barrier, the fear of cyber violence deterred some women from actively engaging in political campaigns.
Lack of Awareness of Violence Against Women in Politics: Over half (52.89%) of the participants were unaware of the concept of violence against women in politics, highlighting the need for increased education and sensitization.
Key Recommendations
SALI’s report provides a five-point set of recommendations to address these issues, including:
Reposition the Women Political Leadership Clinic as a standalone, semi-autonomous flagship program under SALI’s leadership to enhance training and capacity-building for aspiring women leaders.
Domesticating and rolling out UN Women’s transformative leadership training materials to ensure women’s safety and security before, during, and after elections.
Implementing targeted support for women candidates to address financial, technical, and psychological barriers.
Enhancing the media environment to reduce cyber violence and ensure safe participation for women in political debates and campaigns.
Encouraging donor support through multi-year funding cycles aligned with Liberia’s electoral timetable to provide sustained backing for local NGOs and women’s empowerment initiatives.
Impact of SALI’s Leadership Clinic
SALI’s work through the “Strengthening Women’s Participation in Elections in Liberia” project, supported by the Irish Embassy and UN Women, has yielded significant outcomes. The organization conducted constituency research in all 15 counties and established a Leadership Clinic to prepare women for political leadership and empowerment.
A direct result of this initiative is the election of Priscilla A. Cooper as the Representative of Montserrado County Electoral District #5, highlighting the tangible impact of SALI’s work in promoting women’s leadership.
SALI remains committed to promoting gender equity in Liberia’s political landscape by ensuring more women assume leadership positions and addressing the social and structural barriers hindering women’s political participation.
