Source: FrontPageAfrica
The Gender Section of the National Elections Commission (NEC) has begun the conduct of a string of regional Gender Seminars to encourage Women's Political participation in the ensuing Special Senatorial Election.
The first phase of the seminar was held in Buchanan, Grand Bassa County on April 21 and 22 and brought together participants from Grand Bassa, Margibi, Montserrado and Rivercess Counties. The next phase of the seminar will be held on April 24 and 25 in Robertsport, Grand Cape Mount County and would draw participants from Bomi, Cape Mount and Gbapolu Counties.
On April 29 and 30, participants from Bong, Lofa and Nimba Counties will converge in Gbarnga, Bong County, for the third phase while the fourth and final phase of the seminar will take place from May 12-13 in Fish Town, River Gee County.
The seminars are being conducted against the backdrop of the low participation level of women in electoral processes in Liberia. Recent statistics and feedbacks from the field indicate a low participation of women in the Voter Roll Update Exercise.
Considering such low representation of women in decision making, especially in electoral processes, the Gender Section of NEC is interested in finding out why women were not participating despite the level of support and attention being given to gender and election.
The series of regional Gender seminars are being sponsored by the UNDP with funding from SIDA. The seminars are being organized to take stock of previous processes related to the ensuing special election as well as formulate strategies to increase women's participation in the remaining activities of the Senatorial election with the objective of increasing participants' knowledge on gender and election and the importance of women participation in electoral processes.
The seminars would also Share and document information on best practices, lesson learnt, and challenges to women participation in the 2014 electoral processes including the voter roll update exercise.