By Taisiah K. Merfee

The United States of America International Visitor Leadership Program Impact Award in collaboration with the Foundation for the Advancement of Girls and the National Election Commission (NEC) with support from the Meridian International has concluded a one-day dialogue with over 25 youths in Monrovia in order to avoid voter trucking, electoral violence and role and responsibility of youth in the upcoming election.

The International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) is the U.S. Department of State’s premier professional exchange program. Through short-term visits to the United States, current and emerging foreign leaders in a variety of fields experience this country firsthand and cultivate lasting relationships with their American counterparts. Professional meetings reflect the participants’ professional interests and support the foreign policy goals of the United States.

Each year nearly 5,000 International Visitors come to the U.S. on the International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP). More than 200,000 International Visitors have engaged with Americans through the IVLP, including more than 500 current or former Chiefs of State or Heads of Government.

The one-day dialogue which was held at the National Election Commission is been implemented under the Liberian Civic and Youth Engagement project to discuss the roles and responsibilities of young people in the electoral process of Liberia.

Speaking in a telephone conversation Thursday, February 2, 2023 with this paper, the Jutomue Doetein, the lead Youth Representative United States of America International Visitor Leadership Program Impact Award of Liberia and Project focal person expressed thanks to participants for the turnout, adding that it demonstrates their vigilant decisions to ensure their responsibilities and roles are carried out in the pending the elections.

He described the program as a provision of Trainers of Trainers’ Voters’ Education workshops on handling of ballots and Election Day protocol. He added that prior to the indoor training climax; they held town hall meetings with 25 community stakeholders to support a sustainable voters’ education and participation program in election.

“Thanks to the Civic and Voters’ Education Department at the NEC for the collaboration as well as the Foundation for the Advancement of Girls for the successful partnership. We ask all youth of voting ages in Liberia, especially first time voters to vote in the upcoming elections in Liberia by registering when it is time and avoid being trucked at any point in the electoral process. We urge that they should not also allow themselves to be used for the purpose of electoral violence” he noted.

Explaining their interest in early voters’ education to the youthful population, Mr. Doetein said that they were motivated to educate the youthful voting population, especially first time voters based upon past and previous data of invalid votes.

Quoting a local daily, New Democrat newspaper, in 2011, Liberia recorded more than 80,054 invalid votes and similarly in 2017 presidential election; the National Elections Commission also reported over 84,057 invalid votes.

He pointed out that the huge invalid votes documented by the NEC periodically paired with the declining interest of youth (voters) participation in the electoral process of Liberia, something he added exacerbated the Liberian Civic and Youth Engagement project in collaboration with the foundation for the Advancement of Girls with support from the Meridian International.

“I am happy to announce that the project met its goal by increasing the civic engagement and knowledge of elections and the voting process of over  150 youth  between the ages 18-25, as well as youth leaders and community stakeholders in Montserrado County” Doetein narrated.

During the engagement, Doetein disclosed four civic and voter youth clubs were established in schools to provide civic and voters’ education to their peers and first-time voters in Monrovia, as well as conducted leadership training for 20 youth leaders in Montserrado County on youth participation, youth mobilization, gender inclusivity and advocacy, and ended the project by organizing a one-day Dialogue between 25 young people and the National Elections Commission to discuss the roles and responsibilities of young people in the electoral process of Liberia.