President George M. Weah has recommitted his Government to keep providing the needed platform to enable Liberian women realize their individual and collective potentials for the growth and development of the country.
He disclosed that his Government has made and continues to make tremendous efforts thus working with partners towards creating the enabling conditions that enhance women empowerment and participation in politics and other national and international endeavors.
Remarking at this year’s International Women’s Day Celebration on Friday, March 3, 2023 at the Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf (EJS) Ministerial Complex in Congo Town, the Liberian leader assured women that his Government would continue to work closely with all partners and stakeholders in ensuring that women are empowered, by “Innovating with Technology to Promote Gender Equality.”
However, this year’s International Women’s Day is being celebrated under the Global and National Themes, “DigitALL: Innovation & Technology for Gender Equality and Innovating with Technology to Promote Gender Equality.”
“We will enhance our strategic partnerships with the private sector, with support from all stakeholders and donors, including the United Nations, European Union, World Bank, and Sweden, to ensure that the needed financial resources are available to support this objective,” he admonished thousands of Women at the occasion.
Underscoring the achievements of his Government which is said to have already bridged the digital gender gap on widening economic and social inequalities, President Weah emphasized, “For example, we now have a Call Center for the reporting of SGBV cases, as well as for maternal health issues, and child protection issues.”
“As a government, we are now using the technology of mobile money to make electronic payments of Daily Subsistence Allowances as well as the Liberia Social Safety Nets Programs which also utilize the mobile money platform to ensure that vulnerable households, particularly female-headed households, receive cash grant payments,” he maintained.
According to him, the government is also leveraging digital inclusion for the economic empowerment of rural women entrepreneurs and smallholders by giving them improved access to markets, as well as training and other commercial opportunities, through the use of digital platforms.
President Weah added, “In terms of disaster risk reduction, we continue to improve women’s access to risk transfer and finance by enhancing digital mobile-enabled disaster alerts, such as weather forecasts and climate-smart agricultural advisories on digital platforms.”
He further indicated that women’s participation in the political process is of paramount importance to the growth and development of Liberia, and thereby encouraged more women to register and vote, and to contest for public offices.
The Liberia Chief Executive asserted, “As Feminist-In-Chief of this Nation, the protection and empowerment of women, girls, and children, those segments of our population who are considered the most vulnerable, remains key on my agenda.”
“So, in that light, my Government will continue to provide support for the safety of women from all forms of violence, including sexual and gender-based violence, particularly rape, and we remain firm that no perpetrator of any form of sexual or gender-based violence will go free.
“When found guilty, you will face the full force of the law, which will be applied without fear or favor. We will continue to enhance capacity-building for vulnerable groups, including women and adolescent girls, to include training in business development skills, as well as literacy and numeracy training,” he added.
Meanwhile, President Weah at the same time also thanked the Ministry of Finance, and the Gender Ministry for securing US$44.6 through the World Bank for the Liberia Women Empowerment Project, adding that the the project will provide women and girls with grants to enable them to start new businesses or expand their existing businesses across various sectors of the country’s economy.
Nevertheless, International Women’s Day has been set aside annually to celebrate women’s accomplishments; to recognize their rights and power of women; to give women the prominence they deserve; to honor their voices that go unheard, their tears that go unnoticed, and their rights that are mostly dominated by their male counterparts.
