Article by: Florence B. Flomo, IWMF Fellow- 0775069542/0886181862
Despite making up 49.6 percent of Liberia’s current population, according to statistics from the Liberia Institute of Statistics and Geo Information Services, women’s participation in governance, particularly in the legislature remains low.
Currently, there are only eleven (11) women in both houses of the 54th Liberian Legislature; seven (7) in the House of Representatives and two (2) in the House of Senate, which have 103 seats combined.
That number will further reduce by two (2) in the House of Representatives for the forthcoming 55th legislature, as only 8 out of 153 women who contested and re-contested the October 10 legislative elections were successful.
The low representation of women in the Liberian Parliament has been attributed to societal stereotypes, violence against women, limited or lack of access to finance, and other factors.
According to former Bong County Senatorial Candidate, Madam Dorothy Tooman, her participation in the 2020 Senatorial polls was replete with financial difficulty.
She stated that many of the electorates prioritized money and instant benefits and did not care to scrutinize the candidates. “I knew it was going to be challenging without money, but we had to try to compete with the men,” she told our IWMF Fellow.
Madam Tooman averred that some of her votes were allegedly given to male candidates who had the financial strength to manipulate the process. “Some people told me that my votes were given to some of the men, because I did not have the money to give to poll watchers,” Madam Tooman added.
She noted that such an act has the propensity to deprive females of the level playing field to compete with their male counterparts and unleash their potential.
The former Development Education Network Executive Director said her objectives for going to the Senate were centered on changing the political dynamics, encouraging female political participation, and fostering more developments.
Also speaking, Mrs. Marlyn Jarwoe, former Chairperson of the Bong County Civil Society Council cautioned that all forms of violence against women in politics and other professional places should be discouraged and met with stiff resistance.
Madam Jarwoe stated that females, like their male counterparts, are good decision-makers and that they should have the opportunity to hold top positions.
This story was supported by the International Women’s Media Foundation and NDI’s VAW-PM Program.”
