MONROVIA, Montserrado – The head of the Kvinna Till Kvinna Foundation, a Swedish NGO that focuses on building women’s capacities, has advised Liberian women to be the change they want to see in Liberia.
Rie Lukowski spoke at a one-day consultative meeting intended to seek strategies to unite women in Liberia.
The meeting brought together over 50 Liberian women and was held at a hotel in Monrovia on April 8.
According to Lukowski, unity among women is cardinal to the growth and development of a nation.
She said the voices of women were crucial to decision-making, adding that it is time for Liberian women to rise and unite as an active force for development.
She challenged the women of Liberia to remain steadfast in their quest for equality, noting that a united front achieves its goal through inclusiveness.
“Respect one another regardless of position, age, religion and ethics backgrounds because every voice counts,†Lukowski said.
During the discussion, James Murithi, the Gender Affairs Officer with the United Nations Mission in Liberia, said there is a need for sustained communication, democracy and advocacy for Liberian women.
Muriithi said the lack of planning and poor programming in addressing women issues hindered the unity among women.
He said it was necessary to identify the bonds that can unite and sustain the women’s movement in Liberia.
Also speaking at the meeting, the head of the Women’s Legislative caucus of Liberia, Sen. Jewel Howard Taylor, said that her fellow women should support each other in Liberia. She mentioned the low rate of women in the legislature and other places but stressed that women must strive for a stronger voice at all levels.
Taylor lauded the Kvinna Till Kvinna Foundation for their efforts and also recommended that the consultative meeting be repeated in order to unite the women of Liberia.
At the close of the discussion, women in the room suggested several other ways to unite women in the country. They recommended that women in higher positions must make way for others to excel through the formation of a women’s movement in Liberia and the elimination of discrimination against each other.
