NAYMOTE Partners Hold Political Dialogue with Youth to Mitigate Violence Against Women in Elections

Sinkor– NAYMOTE partners for Democratic Development has ended a day-long political Advocacy Dialogue with several young people including male and female aspirants in the pending elections in Liberia to Mitigate Violence Against Women.

Held under the VAWiE Protocle which speaks against all forms of violence against women in elections, the gathering highlighted the role of the Liberian National Police (LNP) in preventing electoral violence as well as the national Elections Commission (NEC) and domestic elections observers.

The discussion also highlighted the National Framework on Gender Equality in Liberia; the prospect and challenges toward the 2023 presidential and legislative elections.

Speaking during the commencement of the Advocacy dialogue, NAYMOTE Program Director, Thor Peace mahteh-Boyee said women’s political participation is crucial to a peaceful election. She stressed the need for the electoral law that calls for thirty percent of women’s political participation to be fully implemented without their rights being violated.

“So as an institution, we see the need to dialogue with young people from political parties, students unions, women’s organizations, CSOs to share our thoughts and talk about what are some of the issues we are cofronted with when women raise thier hands and say we want to particiapte in these processes, and how can we contribute and support thier particiaption without being violated,” Mahteh-Boyee said.

Also in attendance was the President of the National Young Women Political Council of Liberia, Laura Kolva. Making brief remarks, Mrs. Kolva encouraged young people to take advantage of electoral processes by building and not allowing politicians to use them in destroying the democratic process of the country.

“They know young people, we have the ability to create and we can destroy if we want to… but I want us to use this electorial period to be builders of democracy and we should not be the ones to be destroying the democracy we have right now,” Mrs. Kolva said.

Representing the Liberia National Police, on a penal, the  Chief of Community Service, Samuel G. Ford said,  the police acknowledged the role women of Liberia play in bringing peace and stability to Liberia concerning the Comprehensive Peace Accord during the 14 years of conflict.

The United Nations Security Council 13-25 Resolution clearly States that “Women’s Political participation should be highly supported void of harassment, intimidation, and assault”. He recommit the LNP stance in supporting women especially those in politics based on the VAWiE protocol.

For her part, the senior gender officer at NEC, Manakaby Donzo during the penal discussion believes that when the VAWiE protocol is fully implemented, there will be more participation of women and people with disabilities in the electoral process in Liberia.

Also serving as one of the panelists, virtually impaired advocacy, and research officer of the  Liberia Elections Observation Network (LEON) Francis Sibley pledged his institution’s support to the VAWiE Protocol and that they will work with stakeholders and partners to ensure violence against women is mitigated especially as Liberia draws closer to Presidential and Legislative elections.