Gender, Children and Social Protection Ministry, with support from UN Women, has ended a two-day each mock parliament sessions in Margibi and Grand Bassa counties.
The mock parliament is aimed at promoting and strengthening collaboration mechanisms and advocating for an increase in women’s political participation through inclusion of the enforceable 30 percent gender quota provision in Liberia’s election law.
Speaking during the opening sessions in Grand Bassa and Margibi counties, which was held from August 12—13; 16—17, 2021, Gender, Children and Social Protection Minister, Williametta E. Saydee-Tarr, told participants that Liberian women continue to be underrepresented in politics, and that globally the participation of women in leadership and decision-making has remained on an all-time low.
In addressing the underrepresentation of women in politics, the Gender boss stated that Liberia has committed to take action to increase women’s political participation and representation by signing and ratifying a number of international and regional human rights instruments, including the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against women (CEDAW); the International Convention on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR); the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights (ACHPR); the Protocol to the Africa Charter on Human and Peoples Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa (ACHPR-PW); the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance (ACDEG); the ECOWAS Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance (PDGG), among others.
“Currently, the legal framework governing election, including laws on election and on political parties, the independent electoral commission statutes and laws are still not gender-sensitive. Still, efforts to amend the election law have not yet been successful, despite five (5) attempts since 2005. The latest attempt is through the Electoral Law Reform, which is ongoing. In 2014, the Legislature amended Section 4.5 of the New Elections Law (NEL) stipulating that:
“A political party or coalition in its submission to the Commission, of its list of candidates for an election should endeavor to ensure that the governing body and its list of candidates has no less than 30% of its members from each gender,” Minister Saydee-Tarr asserted.
According to the Gender Minister, the phrase “should endeavor to ensure” has proved ambiguous and open to numerous interpretations as to whether Section 4.5 requires political parties to present a candidate list that has no less than 30 percent women or requires them to earnestly attempt to do so.
The Gender Minister told stakeholders to increase advocacy on the gender quota and other law reforms for women.
“I am optimistic that at the end of the on-going nationwide mock parliament sessions, you will have some level of greater opportunity to seize the momentum being generated to accelerate constructive engagements with the Legislative Branch of government, including strategic gender and Judiciary committees in both Houses,” the Minister noted.
In special remarks, Marie Goreth Nizigama, County Representative, UN Women, called for inclusive citizens engagements in decision-making processes that will bridge the gap of gender inequality. The UN Women Rep asserted the urgent need for more supportive gender-responsive, legal provisions that domesticate the signed International Treaties.
According to Nizigama, an increase in women in leadership will help build a safer, inclusive and more stable society.
For her part, Ellen Attoh Wreh, Margibi County’s Representative of electoral district #3, lauded the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection and UN Women for organizing what she termed as an enlightening initiative. Wreh pleaded with participants to utilize the knowledge gained from the mock sessions for the attainment of a gender-balanced society.
Stakeholders in attendance included county leaders, academics, parliamentarians, political party leaders, representatives of civil society organizations, members of the Judiciary, the Federation of Liberian Youth (FLY), Liberia National Student Union (LINSU), amongst others, and were drawn from Rivercess, Sinoe, Grand Bassa, Montserrado and Margibi counties.
The mock parliament will continue in Bomi, Nimba and Grand Gedeh counties beginning Thursday, August 19, 2021 and ending Tuesday, August 31, 2021.