Foundation for Women Calls for Violence Free Elections Ahead of October Polls

Monrovia-The Foundation for Women (FW) in collaboration with Safe Conversation (SC) has called for peaceful, free and fair elections come October.

Foundation for Women is a microfinance organization that has been in existence in Liberia since 2006.

The Foundation for Women made the call at a day-long workshop in Monrovia, held under the theme “Eliminating Global Poverty through Microcredit with a focus on Zero Negativity and Safe Conversation.

Held at the Corina Hotel in Sinkor, the gathering brought together; Students, Civil society representatives, and Community leaders among others.

Addressing the press, Safe Conversation’s Country Director, Samuel Mayson stressed the importance of a safe conversation in the peace-building process and the October elections.

“Safe Conversation is also key as the Country gears toward elections, as you know, there will be lots of confusion and disagreements in all sectors of our lives,” Mayson said.

“Especially the elections now, we want to work together, be able to understand each other, and reach an agreement beyond our differences and that’s what Safe Conversation is all about.”

The SC Country Director noted that the institution is working out modalities to bring together; schools, politicians, Churches, and political parties that are contesting the upcoming elections to make a commitment to violence free elections.

He said “We want to take the message of Safe Conversation to every part of the country, to every candidate contesting the elections and to the world at large’’.

According to Mayson, Foundation for Women and Safe Conversation has been piloting the project in Monrovia over the year under review and they are exerting more efforts to decentralize the project across the country.

Mr. Mayson said, “In the midst of peace, the world will be a better place to live’’.

Also speaking, the administrative manager of Foundation for Women Arthur Williams called on politicians and the electorates to help ensure that the October’s General Election is free of violence.

Pastor Arthur Williams said, “The time is now to engage in safe conversation. Our country is going to crucial elections and our institution is key about making sure that the election process is free of violence. This can only be achieved when the message is spread out to the rest of the Counties in the Country,” he added.

He said the organization is engaged with microloans to Women and people living under impoverished conditions and also raising awareness on both Zero Negativity and Safe Conversations.

For their part, the participants thanked the Foundation for Women and Safe Conversation for the knowledge they provided and promised to exercise it in their daily lives.

Speaking in separate remarks, the participants recommended that the workshop be decentralized to other Communities so that Liberians can be able to address each other in a more peaceful manner.

“Thank you for the education. We will now go back and educate others on Safe Conversation,” they said through their spokesperson.

By: William K. Howard