IPNEWS: With less than 16 months to 2023 Legislative and Presidential Elections, Naymote Partners for Democratic Development has begun to deepen the minds of 20 inspiring young women in politics on the importance of the VAWiE Protocol and the Local Government Act (LGA).
The VAWiE Protocol is about ensuring that during elections women are protected from violence. The overall objective of this is to fill in the gaps identified in the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed between the National Elections Commission (NEC) and Political Parties Executives.
The VAWiE Protocol also highlights the Inter-Party Consultative Committee (IPCC) meeting and the Code of Conduct for Political Parties while promoting and advocating for increased women’s leadership and political participation.
The document was signed in February of this year. The signing of the VAWiE/P, commits political parties to fully implement, and popularize the protocol throughout the country.
Speaking at a day-long workshop in Monrovia, Peace Thor Mahteh- Boyee, Project Manager, Naymote, disclosed that with support from the UN Women and the Peace Building Funds, sponsored by the UNDP, the organization thought to work with young women in politics to deepen their understanding about this protocol as Liberia draws close to elections.
Mahteh- Boyee said as the country goes to elections next year, one of the key things that happens during elections is violence against women, as such the training was basically focused on the VAWiE protocol: “What it says about violence against women during elections, and how they can be able to raise awareness on this protocol within their various communities.”
The training drilled participants on the importance of the LGA, which provides the legal and regulatory framework for Decentralization and Local Governance reforms in Liberia, which was implemented through the Liberia Decentralization Support Program (LDSP), with funding from the European Union (EU), Swedish Government.
She also mentioned that the training was aimed at working with the National Young Women Political Council (NYMPC), a group of young women who are taking on leadership role in their respective communities, districts as well to increase awareness on the LGA and the protocol.
“We brought together 20 young women from Montserrrado because this project is being implemented in Montserrrado, River Gee and Maryland Counties for Naymote, because there are other partners who we are working with and are also implementing the same in other counties as well.”
However, Naymote is setting the basis for the participants to understand the importance for women to participate in electoral processes and the VAWiE protocol, stressing the need to also understand what the LGA says, where leadership starts at the grassroots level.
“We want to make them understand what the opportunities are there for young women according to the LGA, how can interested youths to e up leadership at community levels.”
Over the years Naymote has been training young women in advocacy and leadership roles to be able to create more awareness of women’s political participation.
“We are implementing this along with UNDP and Naymote. The project called “Liberia Election Support Project, is being jointly funded by Irish Aid UNDP, UN Women,” Trokon Bryant, Program Analyst, UN Women stated.
Bryant also references the VAWiE Protocol saying “It was developed along with the NEC and signed by all political parties in the country; now we are trying to roll out this so that everyone can be aware as we go to elections next year.”
However, mentees are expected to go back into their respective communities to increase awareness of the protocol and the LGA. By Simeon S. Wiakanty
