Acceptance Speech Below:
Distinguished Chairperson of the outgoing Board, honorable members of the Board, esteemed representatives of the Government of Liberia, distinguished guests from ECOWAS and our partner organizations, beloved sisters and brothers of the Network of Peace and Security Women in ECOWAS (NOPSWECO), members of the diplomatic corps, development partners, traditional and community leaders, young women and men, members of the media, and friends —
Good afternoon, and thank you for joining us for this important turning-over ceremony.
I stand before you today deeply humbled and profoundly honored to accept the responsibility of serving as President of NOPSWECO in Liberia. To the outgoing leadership — whose vision, tireless work, and sacrifice have brought our network to this moment — I extend my heartfelt gratitude. You have laid a strong foundation of commitment, courage, and solidarity. We owe you our thanks.
I accept this office conscious of the weight of history that Liberian women carry and inspired by the example of our leaders — from the women who mobilized for peace during our darkest hours to those who have continued to defend the rights and dignity of our communities. Leymah Gbowee’s courage, and the strength of all women who organized for peace in Liberia and across West Africa, remind us that women are not merely victims of conflict — we are architects of peace.
As President of NOPSWECO in Liberia, I make this pledge: to lead with humility, to work with transparency, to listen more than I speak, and to strive always for inclusion and impact. I pledge to hold our network to the highest standards of accountability and to ensure that the voices of women from all corners of Liberia — rural and urban, young and old, displaced and settled — are elevated and heeded in peace and security decision-making at national and regional levels.
Our region continues to face complex threats — electoral tensions, violent extremism, transnational crime, the destabilizing impacts of climate change, and the persistent menace of sexual and gender‑based violence. These challenges demand coordinated, gender-responsive solutions. NOPSWECO has an essential role to play: to strengthen women’s meaningful participation in prevention, management, and resolution of conflict across ECOWAS; to monitor and advocate for implementation of the Women, Peace and Security agenda, including United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325; and to provide practical, community-rooted responses to protect and empower survivors.
Today I set out five immediate priorities for our leadership in Liberia:
1. Strengthening Women’s Participation and LeadershipWe will advocate for and support the meaningful inclusion of women at every level where decisions about peace and security are made — in community reconciliation processes, security sector reform, electoral processes, and regional diplomacy. We will provide leadership training and mentorship, with special emphasis on young women and women in marginalized communities.
2. Preventing and Responding to Sexual and Gender‑Based Violence
We will scale up community awareness, prevention initiatives, and survivor-centered services. We will partner with government agencies, security institutions, and humanitarian actors to ensure survivors have access to justice, medical care, psychosocial support, and economic reintegration.
3. Strengthening Early Warning and Community-based Conflict Prevention
We will deepen our networks for community early warning and rapid response, collaborating closely with ECOWAS mechanisms and national institutions to ensure that local signals of tension are heard early and acted upon swiftly and appropriately.
4. Evidence-based Advocacy and Policy Engagement
We will invest in data collection, research, and documentation to make a compelling case for gender-responsive policies. We will monitor the implementation of national action plans on WPS, hold duty-bearers accountable, and bring community realities into regional policy forums.
5. Building Partnerships and Resources
We will intensify engagement with the Government of Liberia, ECOWAS, donors, civil society, traditional leaders, and the private sector to mobilize resources and technical support. Internally, we will strengthen our governance, transparency, and communication so that our membership is active, informed, and empowered.
Actions speak louder than words. Within the coming three months, we will convene a national consultative forum to update our strategic plan for Liberia, launch a targeted capacity‑building program for community women leaders, and establish a multi‑stakeholder task group on SGBV response and coordination. We will also present a clear fundraising and partnership strategy to ensure sustainability.
But we cannot do this alone. I call upon every woman and man present — every community leader, every young person, every partner organisation — to join hands with NOPSWECO. We need men as allies, youth as innovators, and traditional institutions as partners. We must operate in solidarity across borders, because insecurity knows no frontier.
To our partners in government and security institutions: we ask for your political will and practical cooperation. To ECOWAS and our regional partners: we ask for continued guidance and a platform to amplify community voices. To our development partners: we seek your technical and financial support to translate policy into protection and empowerment at the grassroots.
To the members of NOPSWECO Liberia: this network belongs to you. Your participation, your vigilance, and your courage will determine our success. Let us commit to regular communication, transparent decision-making, and mutual respect. Let us mentor the next generation of women leaders and ensure they inherit a stronger, bolder network.
Finally, let us remember why we do this work. Peace is not merely the absence of war; it is the presence of justice, opportunity, and dignity for every woman, man, and child. Liberia’s peace is fragile and precious; it must be guarded, deepened, and made inclusive. As NOPSWECO, we will be relentless advocates for a future where women shape the course of our communities and our region.
Thank you for entrusting me with this honor. I accept it with humility and hope, confident that together we will build a safer, fairer, and more peaceful Liberia and a stronger, more united ECOWAS.
May our work be guided by courage, compassion, and the unshakeable belief that when women lead, peace follows.
Thank you.
