As part of its many activities in commemorating this year’s International Women’s Day (IWD), the Coalition of Political Parties’ Women in Liberia (COPPWIL) on Thursday, March 4, 2021 identified with nurses at the maternity walls of the John F. Kennedy Medical Center (JFK).
This year’s IWD was held under the global theme, “Women in Leadership Achieving an Equal Future in COVID-19 World”, and the national theme, “Women in Leadership Standing Together Against Violence in Election Procedure in a COVID-19 World”.
Situated on 22nd Street, Sinkor, Monrovia, the JFK is the nation’s biggest referral hospital. It was built at the request of former President William V.S. Tubman, whose 1961 visit with former U.S. President, John F. Kennedy, laid the groundwork for USAID funding for the national medical center in Liberia.
COPPWIL is the conglomeration of women drawn from all 28 registered political parties in Liberia, with the aim of promoting women’s participation in politics and political governance.
As part of its gesture, the women group donated assorted food items and anti covid-19 materials to nurses assigned at the maternity wall at the JFK for their immeasurable services to the health delivery system.
Speaking during the presentation of the food items to the hospital, the Vice President for Operations of COPPWIL, Rosette G. Jones, said the group’s gesture was geared to recognize the cardinal role that women play in society, especially in the health sector of the country.
In a bid to increase women’s participation in politics, Jones called on the National Elections Commission (NEC) to do further amendment of the election laws for the protection of women candidates.
“We are calling on the National Elections Commission (NEC) to strengthen the election laws to give women a chance to sit at the same table as men to discuss and pass legislation affecting women,” she added.
Receiving the items on behalf of the nurses, the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) of the JFK, Sia Watta Comanor, lauded COPPWIL for its kind gesture.
“Thank you for all that you are doing. Thank you for challenging men. The future of the world lies in the hands of women. Let us support each other. This is where women are and born. By identifying with the people in here means you have identified with the future generations because this is where the future generations are born,” the JFK CMO stated.
Also in remarks, the Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection, Williameta Saydee Tarr, extolled the role that women have played over the years in cementing the peace of the nation.
“Women are giants in this world. Without women the world would have stopped. Here in Liberia, women have played crucial roles in all sectors of the society,” the Gender Minister noted.
She then urged women to support each other in order to achieve a singular goal.
“I want to ask you in this public manner to help lift each other because it is only by supporting each other that we can achieve our goal of political governance. We must hold each other’s hand, and that’s the only way we can compete,” Minister Tarr, among other things, indicated.
