IPNews-Monrovia: The Vice President of the Republic of Liberia H.E. Chief Dr. Jewel Howard-Taylor has addressed the African Leadership Magazine 2020 Africa Summit online, emphasizing the need to prioritize the empowerment of women and girls in Africa during and after the Coronavirus pandemic.

In a release from the Office of the Vice President, the Liberian Vice President asserted that women and girls constitute half of the worlds’ population and said that in Africa they are among the most venerable groups exposed to the negative impact of the pandemic.

Quoting international and local reports, the Liberian Vice President noted that issues of domestic violence, sexual harassment and abuse of women and girls during COVID-19 Pandemic have further worsened under lockdown conditions across African countries.

Proffering a solution to deal with the current situation of women and girls on the continent, VP Howard-Taylor noted that given these challenges, governments must therefore take daring steps to mainstream gender in their response to the crisis.

She furthered that African governments should promote and accommodate flexible working arrangements that account for workers’ family responsibilities, justifying that women more often work in the economic sector, the hardest hit and require specific financial empowerment.

The first female Liberian Vice President, who on behalf of the Africa Summit launched the African Leadership Magazine, also urged African leaders to begin strategizing how to deal with the huge economic impact caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Addressing the summit on the theme: COVID-19: Pathways to Africa’s Economic Recovery and Growth, VP Howard-Taylor said in spite of the glomming global picture, policy makers must showcase Africa as the new frontier.

She told participants at the African Summit that solutions to addressing the impact caused by the pandemic are imbedded in recent statement delivered by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa.

In the statement South African president is quoted as saying that Africa has a bright future if Africans can put in place a system of good governance, take responsibilities for the continent’s growth and take the advantage of the opportunities brought forth by COVID-19.

She joined the South African president to call on Africans to begin reprograming and putting in place strategies that would change the narratives to enhance the development of Africa and discourage young Africans from seeking better opportunities outside of the continent.

“These words of the South African President remind me and many others that there is no time better than now to not only engage into discussions but to begin to put in place strategies and regimes that would bring this vision to a reality” , VP Howard-Taylor noted.

The Liberian Vice president shared the platform with His Excellency Rt. Hon. Ambrose Dlamini, Prime Minister of Eswatini, Lord Dollar Popat, Member, UK House of Lords and UK Prime Minister’s Envoy to Rwanda and Uganda are among the leaders confirmed to speak at the African Summit 2020.

The summit to be moderated by Dr Ken Giami, Publisher & CEO, African Leadership magazine, is part of the magazine’s response to the debate on resetting Africa’s development priorities post-COVID-19.
The African Leadership magazine focuses on bringing the best of Africa to a global audience, telling the African story from an African perspective; while evolving solutions to peculiar challenges being faced by the continent today.