By Chernor Alimamy Kamara in Monrovia
Dr. Jewel Howard Taylor, Vice President of Liberia, has bemoaned the fact that only “a mere 17%” of candidates in her country’s election in October will be women.
Addressing the opening session of the usual delocalized meeting of the ECOWAS parliament in Monrovia on the theme "Enhancing Political inclusivity in the participatory Governance process: A mechanism for promoting peace and security’’ Taylor said the playing field for female participation in the October 2023 election in Liberia was not level.
She noted that Liberia has always served as an agent of change having elected both its first female President and subsequently first female Vice President and argued that including more women in governance will only be achievable if political actors grasped the fundamental understanding that no society properly functions with the exclusion of half of its female population. She described women are the “fulcrum of society”, sustaining and supporting the system by driving the visions, hopes and aspirations of their families.
On behalf of the women in the ECOWAS region the Vice President implored the ECOWAS Parliament to recommit itself to the high ideals of democracy, implement and institute the necessary reforms which will ensure the full inclusion of women firstly at the national parliamentary level so that they are included as mandated and can play meaningful roles at the sub-regional level.
In his statement, the Head of the Liberian delegation to ECOWAS parliament who also serves as the Chairman of the Committee of Political Affairs, peace, security and African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), noted that Sierra Leone’s example in the political empowerment of women was worth emulating in the African region with the initiative to appoint 30% of women in governance.
Edwin Melvin Snowe said ECOWAS saw the last elections in Sierra Leone as transparent, credible, free and fair. He said there were reported issues of violence which started before the elections but that did not determine the outcome of the process.
On the European Union statements of the elections not being transparent, he called on members of the ECOWAS Parliament to be the first point of call when dealing with African issues adding that “there is no election in the world without issues of violence, but that should not be used as yardstick to condemn what is credible.”
The Delocalized meeting of the joint committee of ECOWAS Parliament deals with matters relating to Regional peace, stability and security, and the promotion and consolidation of a democratic system of governance, human rights, gender and women's empowerment.
The ECOWAS Parliament promotes and defends principles of human rights, democracy, the rule of law, transparency, accountability and good governance. It contributes to the efficient and effective implementation of objectives and policies of the ECOWAS Community.
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