By G Bennie Bravo Johnson I
To strengthen coordination and address the challenges faced by rural women, the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection in conjunction with its partners on Monday, August 26, 2024, held a day-long comprehensive dialogue with the national rural women of Liberia.
The dialogue which was held under the theme: “Together we can strengthen coordination” seeks to address the most immediate and practical needs of women in rural communities and enhance the need for economic opportunities and to earn a livelihood, stability, and financial freedom.
In furtherance, it seeks to promote growth and increased productivity of economic activities for rural women to enable them to support their families and communities, in ensuring their children are in schools, receive proper food and nutrition and the nation becomes more food secure.
Honorable Gbeme Horace-Kollie, Minister of Gender Children and Social Protection asserted that the objective for the ministry organizing dialogue with rural is to vitalize the quality of rural women across the country by strengthening their activities.
She stated that the ministry under her leadership will not have rural women only for their structure but a group of rural women who will be strengthened to ensure the productivity of their activities. And called on the women to coordinate for a better structure.
“Under my leadership, I don’t want rural women to just be rural women.
I want rural women to be stronger and productive.” Minister Horace-Kollie said.
“Let’s walk hands in hand to make rural women vibrant and productive.”
The gender minister intimated that the President ARREST Agenda recognizes and emphasizes the vital role the rural economy will play in promoting rural women’s economic empowerment.
Additionally, she stated that the AREST highlights the role of Rural Women in promoting agricultural programs targeting their empowerment, security, and skill opportunities for developing a sustainable livelihood for this agricultural-driven population.
She said although the process of rebuilding and revitalizing the rural areas has been challenging and slow, however, post-conflict rural women have gained incredible courage through their struggles and they remain steadfast and committed to goals of achieving financial independence, higher self-confidence, literacy, and taking a lead in the development process.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Gender, Children, and Social Protection has established a realistic National Rural Women’s Program (NRWP) to ensure that all rural women are given a chance to partake in and benefit from relevant programs.
It added that in addition, the NRWP is providing a structure through which rural women can voice their priorities and needs and lead initiatives in their communities and counties.
“In light of the above, the Ministry is organizing a One-Day event with rural women leadership from all 15 counties to discuss key issues facing rural women in Liberia, strengthen coordination and collaboration, and present the Ministry’s vision for the rural women’s structure and leadership.
To strengthen coordination and collaboration, identify priority needs of rural women for resource mobilization, and conduct elections for a change of leadership for the Rural Women Structure.”
Rural women account for a significant portion of Liberia’s labor population. They are the backbone of the mining, economic, and agriculture sectors producing more than half of the country’s food.
Rural Women are the primary marketers and traders of agricultural goods and contribute to more than 75% of all cash and food crop production. In addition, women conduct 85% of all marketing and trading, a vital complement to crop production for income generation, yet rural women continue to be most affected despite their tremendous role and contribution to the informal sector.
Meanwhile, the rural women in their deliberation with the ministry, outlined the challenges faced by rural in their economic activities.
They called on the government through the ministry to at all times make transportation accessible to the rural sector by constantly rehabilitating roads across the country.
“We want the government to constantly pave our farm-to-market roads across the country.
Roads are our major problem. Our goods often spoil because we are unable to take them to the market.”
They continued by calling on the government through the Ministry of Gender to strengthen their agriculture activities by supplying agriculture tools to enhance the workings.
“We need tools to facilitate our work.”
The women asserted that when more tools make their farming easier, more younger women and girls who are in rural sectors will be motivated to engage in farming.
