-Liberian women rally support for VP Taylor’s re-election
By G Bennie Bravo Johnson I
As the much anticipated November 14, Run-Off electionapproaches, the women of Liberia, inclusive of women groupings on Wednesday, November
1, 2023, under the theme-“I Stand With Her” endorsed the Vice Presidential bid of Madam Jewel Howard-Taylor.
During the endorsement ceremony which took place at the EJS ministerial complex in Congo town, the women urged their fellow women to stand by their co-value and support women, irrespective of their political origin. They further assured the vice president that women were there with her at the very beginning, and they are now with her and promised to continue to be around her
“No Matter the party you are in, let’s stand by our co-value and support woman. We were there with you, we are here with you and we will be with you and around you.”
Chief Dr. Howard-Taylor is the Vice running mate to President George Manneh Weah on the ticket of the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC).
It can be recalled, the women for women campaign started in 2017, because women believed that if women are in any process of decision making, the issues of women will be heard and addressed.
Therefore, women have pledged their support to maintain VP Jewel Howard Taylor as vice president of the Republic of Liberia following the November 14, Run-Off elections.
Amongst the many women who spoke at the Endorsement Ceremony headed by the Coalition of political parties’ women in Liberia (COPPWIL), the head for the Liberia Market Women, Elizabeth Sambollah, rallied market women in Liberia to support to the Weah- Taylor re-election; noting that it is time for women to support their Kind.
In furtherance, the women candidates 2023 Network headed by Madam Snorte Sherman encouraged women in Liberia to defend their fellow women. She told the women- “Even though we were defeated In the just ended elections, we are not going to sit and allow the male overcome us, we must stand up and maintain the only woman we have in the Executive Mansion, we the Female candidates 2023 Network will stand tall behind Madam Taylor in making sure she is re-elected, because only women understand their fellow Women,” Madam Sherman noted.
Also in a remark at the event, the Executive Director of the National Commission on Disability, Amb. Daintowon Paybayee, lauded the Weah-Taylor Administration for providing them the face they needed. “We the people living with disabilities stand with you Madam Taylor, this government has made us feel better and comfortable in our condition after being named and shamed for so many years. In this Administration, we feel safe and a part of every decision making process, we say thank you to Weah-Taylor Administration,” she added.
At the same time, Bong County District 6 Representative Elect Moima Briggs Mensah, urged the women of Liberia to make there-election of the first female vice president of Liberia a priority. “Let’s make re-electing Madam Taylor our business, let’s jealously vote for the only Woman in the race she is our kind, she understands the need and wants of a woman,” Madam Briggs said.
Meanwhile, in response to the women’s endorsement, incumbent Vice President Jewel Howard Taylor lauded all of the women groupings and congratulated all of the Female Candidates who participated in the Elections, for taking the bold step in standing up for what she termed as “right”.
”To all the women in here- I am grateful to everyone, there’s nothing that can be done without women, we must never lose our spaces, if we stand to together great things will happen in our country mama Liberia”.
She recommended that women should start getting prepare very sooner if they want to contest for higher seats, in order to ensure proper and equal representation at decision making places.“Women are the bedrock of every society, we are the most important people, let’s stand tall to have one Voice”
Madam Jewel Howard Taylor is the vice standard bearer of the Coalition for Democratic change (CDC). She is the first vice president of Liberia and currently the only female candidate on the ballot for the run-off election.
