Members and Staff of a consortium of grassroots women’s organizations In the Country.

Monrovia:  With less than a week following the conduct of the Tuesday October 10, 2023 Legislative and Presidential elections, a consortium of grassroots women’s organizations under the banner “Project Accountable Safe Space Women’s Accountability Room (PASSWAR) is urging the Ministry of Justice to investigate all incidences of violence and bring the perpetrators to justice in line with the law regardless of political party affiliation.

They also call on the Justice Ministry to put in place measures to ensure peace and stability of the country to safeguard the security of the country. 

The consortium of grassroots women’s organizations  is  comprises  of the following organizations the   African Women Leadership Network (AWLN), Community Health Initiative (CHI), Kids Educational Engagement Project (KEEP), Organization for Women and Children (ORWOCH) Paramount Young Women Initiative (PAYOWI), Women NGO Secretariat of Liberia (WONGOSOL), Women of Positive Actions (WOPA); Sister’s Hand Liberia and the PASS Women’s Accountability Room.

Reading their statement Atty. Minonbeydo N. Joah and Madam Willent Salue also call for the Continue to investigation of alleged elections fraudsters and give updated information to the public at all stages of the investigation. 

They however admonished the national Legislature to establish a special tribunal to look into and lead the prosecution of brutal and horrific acts of electoral violence that has the propensity to take us back to war

They further  call on Political Parties to refrain from misleading or inflammatory election news the public on social media concerning the results and call on supporters to listen to NEC’S official results. 

According to them Political Parties should muster the courage to take advantage of the law and ensure all complaints are filed with the proper authorities. 

They also call on the Media to support fact checking and avoid releasing misleading information. 

Torching on the International Community, the consortium of grassroots women’s organizations admonished the InternationalCommunity to announce public sanctions for those who engage in violence before and after elections results are announced. 

“In conclusion, we call on all candidates, political parties and their supporters to remain calm and peaceful and to wait for official results from the National Election Commission” they noted.

The Project Accountable Safe Space Women’s Accountability Room however congratulates Liberians for their huge participation in the October 10, 2023, Presidential and Legislative Elections and commends the National Elections commission for ensuring the conduct of elections in Liberia. 

“We observe elections was generally peaceful except for a few isolated cases of tension, agitation, and some forms of untargeted VAWIE” they stated. 

According to them, with the voting process ended almost in the entire country and the counting process ongoing, they noted with concern alleged incidences of violence and voting irregularities being observed by elections observers, women rights groups, the traditional, and social media.  

They indicated that, 84.4% of their observers witnessed intimidating behavior by some election poll workers towards the women voters for several various reasons. 

They said some reasons provided for the observed behavior towards these women vary, with election poll workers presuming that they were dishonest about their status as baby mothers or pregnant. 

They said other reasons included those special needs individuals took too much of the election’s poll workers s time. 

They emphasized that, 87% of the precincts observed, by the consortium of grassroots women’s organizations observers noted that all of the polling staff were not present. 

“Reasons given for staff absent at 13% of the polling places observed include that some staff registered for assignment in two places and others opted to take up out of town assignment since it paid better” they noted.

They further said 63% of the polling places observed had a woman presiding officer while 97% of polling places visited, observers noted that party poll watchers could clearly see the process.

They noted that, at 60.9% of polling places, their observer noted voters’ fingers were checked for prior inking while 80.4% of the polling places visited, observers noted voters’ confusion with identifying their polling enter.

They said 68.8% of the polling places observed, voters who arrived or in the lines at 6:00pm were allowed to vote and 25% of the polling places visited, observers noted several challenges associated with the closing of the polls. 

They stressed that, one of the major challenges cited for the delays was poor lighting in the polling facilities. 

They further indicated that, 60.9% of polling places, their observer noted voters’ fingers were checked for prior inking.

“In Bomi County, a female voter alleged to have been buying votes was slapped by a male voter. They both was arrested by the police” they said. 

According to them, in  both Bong County at the Kpakoloyah Public School  and Cape mount County, District # 2, at polling place 5 respectively, elderly women complained that they were being harassed by vote buyers adding that” we note that there were several incidences of violence occurred before, during, and after elections”.

They two female Civil Society organization expects added that their observers also noted that persons purporting to be NEC officials had the alleged markings of the NEC. 

“Other incidents were also reported from the Administrative Building Grand Bassa by our observers which an already checked name place on the FRR” They said. 

Speaking further they said their observers also noted the absence of queue controllers at observed polling places leading to disorder and in many cases sexual harassment by male voters against female voters. 

They then recommended that NEC Conduct training for poll workers and community workers not less than one month to Election Day and ensure that poll workers are knowledgeable of elections guidelines through extensive practice sessions.

They said NEC should ensure that queue controllers are on the line to maintain order and avoid instance of sexual harassment and increase polling stations in accordance with the census report and as per the law.

They urged NEC to continue to engage citizens through the traditional and social media giving out information to the public and be available when there are calls for clarity. 

The consortium of grassroots women’s organizations  emphasized that NEC  adhere to section 10 of the new elections law by investigating and implementing punitive measures for political parties whose members engage in political violence. 

They also want the Monitoring of the media and hold political actors accountable for spreading misinformation about the elections and follow up on cases of alleged irregularities reported on elections day and give updated information to public during press conference. 

They call on NEC to ensure separate lines for men and women during subsequent elections.

Leave a Comment

Comments

No comments yet. Why don’t you start the discussion?

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *