-Pro Tempore Lawrence
By: Leila B. Gbati
On Friday, March 8, 2024, Liberia joined the rest of the world to commemorate the 2024 edition of International Women’s Day (IWD) under the global theme “Invest in Women: Accelerate Progress” and the national theme “Empower Her, Empower All”.
In a special statement at the ceremony held at the EJS Ministerial Complex, Grand Bassa County Senator Nyonblee Karnga-Lawrence stated that if they can change the story of women’s issues then they have empowered all.
According to Senator Lawrence, when you educate a woman, you educate a nation as such another interpretation to that is when you empower one woman, she should leave the door open for other women. “When women are in power there should be more women onboard,” Senator Lawrence said.
The Grand Bassa County Senator also vowed to use her position as Senate Pro-Tempore to prioritize women’s empowerment.Senator Lawrence stressed that Liberia has come a long way in respecting the rights of women and having them around the table when it comes to political participation.Speaking at the ceremony, Senator Lawrence thanked the women who stood up and fought in the rain and sun to restore the country.
She also appreciated the IWD global theme “Empower One; Empower All”. Speaking further, the President of the Liberia Senate urged the women to forget about political affiliation and come together adding that “if we have a woman who can do it to the best let’s give that recognition”. “We should appreciate one another and support everywoman, for when we say empowerment where are the challenges? The Challenges are with the thousands of women who are not here today. The women in rural Liberia, am happy that the health minister is here because when I’m outside the country a young man is crying in my ears and I asked, what happened Allison? His young beautiful wife was sick and there was no clinic nearby and the distance was far, before she got her medication in less than 30 minutes she landed. If we can change that then we have empowered all,” she noted.
Speaking further, Senator Lawrence highlighted the responsibility rests with them as leaders to change the story of the many challenges the women are faced with. She cautioned the Minister of Health as being a woman in that position should pay more attention to those places that need more help to have healthcare available.
“Also, I have another person at my house who is a cook and he was crying and I asked what happened. He said there was a lawmaker who gave his only sister one bag of rice and on her way home with the rice the zogos (at-risk youth) killed her and took the rice and money; how can we change it; how can we change them? I went into the interior almost a 7-hour drive for a campaign rally the moment I arrived there was one pregnant lady who needed an operation and 7 hours from there to Buchanan, no car and motorbike, I had to allow my car to take her 7 hours to the hospital while I remain in the village and her life was saved. Why if I was not there; those are the kind of empowerment we need to do for all,” she mentioned.
Senator Lawrence continued: “So, I stand here as the President Pro-Tempore of the Liberian Senate, a position for women and there will be challenges because we have a very low revenue budget but we have to prioritize because all of the issues that this country faced women suffer the most. If we have programs and decide that we will work to implement those programs in stages through the national budget we will begin to see the changes and the women will know that the country is going somewhere”.
Meanwhile, according to Senator Lawrence, the Government of President Joseph Nyuma Boakai is fighting for women’s empowerment and to support women’s issues.
She further called on the Ministers of Gender and Health to line up programs for women emphasizing that for instance if their 3 million budget appears before the senate they should know what the money is intended instead of guessing because it has happened many times.
She told the Ministers of Health and Gender that if they have tangible programs for example to build infrastructure in one of the villages in rural Liberia which will take three years then you have people who will be waiting for the place to see if it will finish and that is what they call program budget and that is what she is championing as the President Pro-Tempore at the Liberian Senate.
She called on the First and Second Lady of Liberia and all of the women in the Executive Mansion to continue to push for women’s equality and to have more women on the table so that the issues of women can be addressed.
“I want to say to all of the women, I know how difficult it is especially for all of us and we have been working with a team supported by UN Women to come out with a database for women and we are happy that President Boakai is also using that database to position some of our women. We will continue to try,” she noted.
Moreover, Senator Lawrence joined all of the women to honor the First Lady of Liberia Madam Boakai for being an inspiration to her and all other women and also a silent fighter.
The IWD celebration brought together women from various backgrounds who paraded the principal street of Monrovia led by the Ministry of Gender and supported by heads of government ministries and agencies including members of the donor community, Diplomatic Corps, and civil society organizations. Several ministers of government, the international community, traditional women as well as the First and Second Lady of Liberia among others graced the occasion.
The IWD grew out of efforts in the early 20th century to promote women’s rights, with the first IWD gathering in 1911 supported by over a million people. This is a moment for every woman regardless of political affiliation, tribal background, social and economic status. The IWD creates an opportunity for women to come out and compel the world and its surroundings to recognize these inequalities as well as celebrate the achievements of women who have overcome these barriers.
