Liberia: Unmil Boss - Put More Women in Power

Gbarnga — Liberia may have elected Africa's first female President but the country is failing to put women in power on a broader scale, a top United Nations official said. Of 312 judicial magistrates assigned across Liberia's 15 counties, there is not a single woman in that position, Madam Karin Landgren, Special Representative to the Secretary General of the United Nations said.
And women make up only 17 per cent of Liberia's National Police. That number should be at least 30 per cent, Madam Landgren said during a forum on women, peace and security in Gbarnga, Bong County, on Wednesday, Sept. 26, 2012. The forum, which brought together women from across the country, was held under the theme: "Liberian women demand access to justice."
Madam Landgren observed that the statistics of women in leadership in the judicial system is even by far lower than other areas. "Despite having a visible female President, the statistics of women in leadership is very low. This is very saddened, especially in the judicial system of this country," the UNMIL boss said. "UNMIL as Liberia's partner in progress would love this see this number change significantly."
She said the UN through the Mission would help change the sad reputation of Liberia in the area of Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV). UNMIL, she said, will ensure that SGBV Crime Units are expanded across all the counties of Liberia to help adjudicate SGBV cases through a fast-track process.
"UNMIL wants to see more women in the police, immigration as well as other state security agencies. Not only that, but we want to see them in leadership positions," she said. Women's groups from across the country were invited to attend the forum. More than 1,000 women attended the event.
Some shared stories about being marginalized in the decision-making process at home and at work. Others opened up about dealing with violence at home. They stressed the need for more donor support to the Ministry of Gender and Development as a means of solving issues of SGBV suffered by women, especially in rural counties.