Liberian Nobel laureate Leymah Gbowee has decried the low level of women's participation in governance in West Africa despite hope brought about by their recent achievements.
Ms Gbowee, who was Tuesday speaking in the Sierra Leonean capital Freetown, which is hosting the 5th edition of the West African Women's Policy Forum, urged women to intensify their demand for governance space despite the reluctance by the men.
The forum brought together some 60 women from across the continent.
It sought to create a platform to share good practices of women’s solidarity beyond political parties’ ideology or interest.
The Liberian gender activist, who is the Executive Director of the Women Peace and Security Network (WIPSEN) – Africa, cited her country and Nigeria as notable examples of areas where women had fallen behind because of the governments' failure to honour commitments to the so-called Beijing + 5 [the 23rd Special Session of the UN General Assembly which reviewed the 1995 Beijing Platform for Action].
She also echoed prevailing concerns in the sub region over violence against women, particularly in politics.
Right and policies
WIPSEN-Africa is an NGO headquartered in Ghana, which has been in existence since 2006.
It promotes women’s participation and leadership in peace and security governance on the continent.
The Freetown conference called for stronger lobbying through networking, discussing issues of women political leadership and how to get more policies that protect women’s right and policies, and which address their advancement in leadership.
The forum, whose theme was; ‘Consolidating our strategies for enhanced women’s engagement in political discourse in West Africa’, was organised by WIPSEN-Africa and the West Africa Civil Society Institute (WACSI).
It offered the women the opportunity to call for a violence free poll in the host country, which is preparing to vote on November 17.
As part of its plans for greater participation in the sub region's turbulent electoral process, through its Women's Peace and Security Network, the forum resolved to deploy 12 observers in the Sierra Leone polls.
“Freetown was chosen as host to show solidarity with the women of Sierra Leone and to lend our voices for peaceful elections,” Ms Gbowee said.
Participants were drawn from politics, civil society and women's network and movements.
