-CSOs launch Gender Transformative Project
By Jerromie S. Walters
In a heightened bid to contribute to a strong and vibrant national women’s movement, a conglomeration of five Civil society organizations have launched a three-year (2024-2026)Gender Transformative Action Coalition Project dubbed: “Stronger Together”.
The project, which is being funded by the Federal Ministry for Economy Cooperation and Development-Germany (BMZ) in the sum of €640,000, was launched Wednesday, July 17, 2024, at Musu Spot in Congo along the Tubman Boulevard.
In the introduction of the Coalition project, Fenny Taylor Diggs, medica Liberia Project Manager noted that the overall goal of the Feminist Coalition Project is to contribute to a strong and vibrant national women’s movement that influences structural political and social change processes towards greater equality in Liberia by ensuring the Feminist Coalition acts as an important interest group and platform for the inclusion of the gender perspective in influencing political measures and legal reforms.
She added that the project will operate in Montserradoand all women, girls, and other marginalized persons who are affected or threatened by gender-based discrimination and violence and will benefit in the long term from social awareness-raising and improved legislation as a result of the advocacy activities and campaigns carried out with them and on their behalf.
It is also clothed to ensure that its members have strengthened competencies for the implementation of feminist leadership practices as well as strategies for action to increase the safety of employees in women-led organizations and enhance and strengthen the knowledge and analytical skills of relevant policymakers from a feminist intersectional perspective.
Organizers say the project’s intervention logic is based on a theory of change that assumes that progressive social change occurs and is sustainable when strong. Self-organized and diverse women’s organizations, as part of a critical civil society. have the necessary resources. Strategies and structures to help shape public and political debates. Promote the improvement of political and legal mechanisms about gender-based discrimination and violence and hold relevant institutions accountable for their implementation.
In a special Statement, Grand Cape Mount County Senator Dabah Varpilah expressed confidence that the coalition will engage stakeholders, make recommendations on national issues, and remain committed to advancing women’s rights. She spotlighted the urgent need for transformative change and equality in a world where women’s rights are under threat.
Senator Vapilah expressed concern about the increasing prevalence of rape, abuse, marginalization, and other forms of violence against women, both globally and in Liberia. She lamented the lack of progress in women’s empowerment and inclusion, as well as the growing disdain and misunderstanding surrounding the term feminism.
The Senator emphasized the importance of unity and collaboration within the feminist movement, noting that working together is the only way to achieve meaningful change. She praised five major feminist organizations for joining forces to address the challenges facing women and girls, calling it a pivotal moment in the fight for gender equality.
Reflecting on her own experiences in politics, Senator Vapilah highlighted the need for women in positions of power, women’s coalitions, and support groups to provide solidarity and guidance to those facing negativity and suppression. She stressed the importance of collective action and urged individuals from all backgrounds to use their voices to advocate for change.
Meanwhile, the women-driven project is expected to be initiated in several Approaches including Macro and Meso Levels. The implementation will capture the Monitoring of national legislation on gender equality and women’s protection, Collect, analyze, and disseminate data on women’s rights and SGBV, and Educate female political actors on existing legislation and feminist policies
Also, it will provide spaces and resources for feminist awareness, reflection, and leadership Promote unification and co-creation within the feminist movement Build capacity for feminist analyses and progressive women’s policy agendas. The project will Facilitate intergenerational dialogue in the women’s rights movement, offer training in monitoring, reporting data collection policy analysis, and advocacy from a feminist perspective and Improve safety and protection for women’s rights activists Strengthen women’s feminist networks for effective lobbying and accountability.
Consortium Partners:
The consortium partners include: Medica Liberia- is local non-profit organization, formerly known as medica mondiale Liberia, Medica Liberia (mL) is a non-governmental women’s rights organization committed to addressing sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV)in Liberia. Since 2006, mL has been providing direct support to women and girls affected by SGBV.
The Women’s NGO Secretariat of Liberia (WONGOSOL) is a registered network founded in 1998 with a constitution and rules of procedure that includes more than 100 women’s organizations in the 15 counties of Liberia. WONGOSOL was founded with the mandate to work for the promotion of women’s rights.
Sectorial: WONGOSOL works in the areas of women empowerment, ending violence against women and girls, advocacy, and capacity building. Since its inception, the organization has helped many women and young people, especially in rural communities in Liberia, to know their rights in all areas of life through awareness-raising activities.
In addition, WONGOSOL has created a platform and space for women’s political participation and empowerment and strengthened women’s ability to speak out independently on issues and policies that directly affect them.
The Liberia Feminist Forum (LFF) was founded in 2014 by Liberian feminists with the support of the African Women Development Fund, Kvinna till Kvinna, ActionAid Liberia, and medica mondiale. It currently includes over 70 women from various professional fields. From development cooperation to business, science, and politics. The vision is a Liberia and a world free of violence, discrimination, and inequalities in the private and public sphere, where feminist values are upheld, all people are respected, and can realize their full potential. As an organization that sees itself as part of a broader social movement, the Forum has flat and non-hierarchical power structures to promote and develop its programmatic and political commitment.
Radical Young Women Movement (RAYWOM) is a non-profit social movement founded in 2022 by 10 young Liberian women from different walks of life. RAYWOM is not a registered organization, but an informal group that sees itself as part of the social movement. RAYWOM consists of young women between the ages of 15 and 35. Their vision is for all women to be independent, recognized, respected, and truly empowered in their communities.RAYWOM is led by a competent leadership that coordinates three areas of the movement: Programmes, Policy, and Finance.
Sisters 4 Sisters (S4S) has been registered as an independent. A non-profit organization since 2019. It is committed to improving the healthcare and living conditions of women and young girls who identify as LBTQ; it provides education and advocacy work and offers direct support measures in the area of income generation.
Howbeit, at a Macro Level, it will consider the relevant ministries (in particular the Ministry of Gender Equality, Children and Social Protection, the Ministry of Health, and the Ministry of Justice), parliamentarians, and other government representatives Policy makers. While at the Meso Level, it will capture Women-led organizations that campaign for women’s rights and GBS, as well as other actors in the Liberian women’s movement
Representatives of women’s rights organizations at the district level. Coordination platforms and human rights defenders working for women’s rights and SGBV will be considered under the Micro Level.
