Source: The New Republic Liberia
A two-week international security seminar which brought together a cross-section of civil society organizations, journalists and security personnel at the just ended seminar in Cambodia recommended that women should be empowered to contribute positively to a country's transformation drive.

In an Interview recently at the Capitol Building, Lofa County Representative Marriamu Beyan Fofana noted that the aim of the seminar was to give an idea to participating countries on how Cambodia, a post war Asian country was able to quickly transform from the state of war to a vibrant and stable economy.

The Lofa County lawmaker said the two-week international security seminar also gave a broad spectrum on how the Government of Cambodia empowers their women to contribute positively to the country's transformation drive through various programs such as: agriculture, micro-economy, vocational programs, among others.

Commenting on making maximum use of the knowledge acquired from the seminar, she added that the Liberian security sector will remain robust in not only protecting but will prioritize the rights and welfare of women and girls across the fifteen political sub-divisions of Liberia through adequate representation and advocacy as well as formulating programs that will seek to change the living standards of women in the country.

She further said one way Liberian women can achieved this is through the ongoing constitutional reform process and people who are championing the call of women empowerment or gender parity though is it is faced with challenges.

Rep. Fofana indicated that lawmakers who participated in the program were the Defense Committee Chairman Rep. George S. Mulbah of Bong County, the Chairman on National Security and Gbarpolu County Dist #1 Representative Alfred G. Koiwood, and the Chairperson on Gender Equality and Child Development Rep. Marriamu Beyan Fofana of Lofa County.

The seminar was sponsored by the Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA) and brought together several countries from different parts of the world especially those experienced civil crisis like Liberia underwent during its post conflict decades.

Participating countries were Liberia, Sierra Leone, Cambodia, Columbia, East Timor among others

• Liberia