-As 147 of 153 female candidates suffer defeat in the recent elections
By Jerromie S. Walters
As established by the final report of the candidates’ nomination process by the National Elections Commission (NEC), about 153 (15 percent) females participated in the October 10, 2023, legislative and presidential elections.
According to NEC, 1,030 aspirants registered as candidates and out of this amount, women made up only 153 (15 percent). Amid this low figure which vividly indicate how they were unrepresented, only six of the 153 female candidates succeeded in the electoral process.
Unarguably- It clearly shows that the current number of women at the 54th National legislature of the Republic of Liberia is way beneath the 30% gender quota women have long yielded. But sadly, their quest has confronted another crucial setback with more incumbents and women being defeated despite the low representation.
Amidst the increasing interest of women participating in legislative elections, the actual representation of women at the Liberian legislature remains disproportionately low.
Pundits believe the defeat of more women in legislative elections, despite not being fully represented in the legislature, has implications for women’s empowerment in Liberia. They say limited female representation hampers the ability to address issues that directly affect women, such as gender-based violence, access to healthcare, and education.
In their opinion- it also perpetuates a cycle of underrepresentation, making it harder for future generations of women to break through political barriers. While Liberia has made progress in promoting gender equality and women’s empowerment, the underrepresentation of women in the legislature remains a significant challenge.
The defeat of more women in the recently ended legislative elections, despite their limited representation, underscores the need for continued efforts to address sociocultural barriers, provide financial support, and promote gender equality within political parties. Only through these collective actions can Liberia truly achieve women’s full and equal representation, leading to a more inclusive and equitable society.
With only three of the nine female incumbents of the House of Representatives that are certain about their return to Capitol Hill, six new females will join the 55th legislature comes January, 2024. Though this may sound impressive, it doesn’t seem worth being venerated at a certain extent- as it has met a significant decline in the number of female incumbents at the legislature.
The elections of Bintu Mansaray District 1, Grand Cape Mount, Gbessie Feika Sonii, District 3, Grand Cape Mount, Marie Johnson, Grand Gedeh County, Konobo, District #2, Rugie Barry of District 1, Montserrado County, Prescilia Cooper, district #5, Montserrado county, and Dabah M. Varpilah, Grand Cape Mount (Senator), come as backup to the end of the governance of six female incumbents that have been defeated. On the other hand- the Liberian Senate will now have three females, of the thirty members, as Dabah M. Varpilah has replaced Grand Cape Mount County current Senator Varney Sherman.
Meanwhile- in her recent assessment on the just ended October 10, 2023, presidential and legislative elections- Madam Loretta Pope-Kai, the Head of the National Civil Society Council of Liberia (NCSCL), expressed dismay over the situation, as she described the process as being, “Gender neutral, gender blind and gender biased.”
In her opinion, the elections were successful at all levels but largely not gender sensitive.
“I am humbly to be afforded the opportunity to share my assessment on the electoral processes in Liberia with an attention of women participation in politics. This is, as far as I know, the first post-election reflection and assessment session. As you all may know, three democratic elections had been held in 2005, 2011, and 2017 since Liberia civil war ended. In January 2018, the first democratic transition since 1944 took place.”
“This is Liberia’s fourth elections since the war. Sadly, the results from all the three elections revealed the level of women’s political participation remains dismally low, usually declining. The results from the just- ended legislative elections revealed only, 11 or 10.68% of the 150 women legislative candidates won.”
In her view- “This means nothing has changed and it even suggests the level of women’s political participation in the legislature is stagnated. Though electoral processes do not only include women’s participation in electoral contests, this is the crux of the matter. Therefore, my contribution to the topic: “An Assessment of the Electoral Processes in Liberia with Emphasis on Women Participation in Politics” will largely be limited to women’s participation in electoral contest while parading related issues such as women’s participation as voters and campaign workers.”
The defeated incumbents
Following the pronouncement of the final results of the October 10, 2023, general elections by the National Elections Commission (NEC), it shows that women representation at the 54th legislature has not experienced a decline, but it has not also increased. This is because about six (6) of the nine (9) incumbents of the House of Representatives (HOR) of the 54th legislature have suffered defeat, while six are expected to join the 55th legislature.
Several other female incumbents including- Rustolyn Suacoco Dennis, Montserrado County District #4, Bomi County, District #1 representative Finda B. Lansanah, River Cess County District #1 Representative Rep. Rosana G.D.H. Schaack, Bomi County District #3 Representative Haja F. Siryon, Grand Bassa County District #2 Representative Mary Karwor, Lofa County District #4 Representative Mariamu B. Fofana will not join the 55th legislature.
The failed 30% gender quota
Prior to the elections- a memorandum of understanding (MOU) was entered into by and between the National Elections Commission and Registered Political Parties, operating under the laws of Liberia, and represented by their respective Chairmen/Secretaries General, which served as their commitment to the 30% gender quota.
Under the MOU, the parties agreed that Political Parties, Coalitions and Alliances would have produced and adopted a Gender Policy reflective of the relevant legal instruments supporting gender balance and increased women participation in representative politics towards the 2023 General Elections, as highlighted in consultative engagements amongst the parties to the MOU.
Though the various parties assured their commitment to the MOU, there was nothing genuine to hold them accountable, following their failure to abide by the MOU. As we also highlighted in few of our previous articles, the parties intentionally ignored the significance of the MOU during their respective primaries.
Unarguably, this appears as a mockery to the fight for a just political atmosphere for every gender, especially women, as the existence of the MOU have just been like several other Women’s rights protocols Liberia has signed but still struggling to adhere to. Though one might describe the MOU as a step ahead, however, the fact that it has absolutely no legal consequences, makes it a toothless bulldog.
How parties violated it?
Like several major political parties we followed up on, the opposition Unity Party failed the 30% gender quota, as they produced 11 female candidates out of a total of 61 candidates. In the just ended elections- the Unity Party produced 1 female senatorial candidate (14%) and 6 male senatorial candidates (86%).
At the representative level, the party produced 10 female representative candidates (19%), and 42 male representative candidates (81%). Like them, the ruling Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) produced 12 females out of 70 candidates. The CDC produced a female vice presidential candidate, 11 female representative candidates (16%) and 56 male candidates (84%). The party also failed to produce a single female senatorial candidate, even though they produced 12 male senatorial candidates (100%).
In addition to the UP and the CDC- the Collaborating Political Parties (CPP) produced 16 females out of 59 candidates in the recently ended elections. The CPP produced female vice presidential candidate, 2 female senatorial candidates (33%) to 4 male senatorial candidates (67%), and 13 female representative candidates (25%), to 38 male representative candidates (75%).
Howbeit- pundits believe that the MOU signed by the political parties would have buttressed the struggle for an increased women political participation, if the President had signed the new elections law.
The new elections law
Section 4.5 (1c) of the New Elections Law mandates Political parties to submit not less than 30% of either gender for their candidates’ listing to NEC.
The amendments in question sought to make 30% of gender representation mandatory. It would have empowered the National Elections Commission (NEC) to fine or delist any political parties that failed to adhere to the gender quotas.
The Gender quota clause, which is a special legislative measure to redress the historical marginalization of women from political life, comes as women struggle to gain equal representation in the legislature.
