By Jamesetta D. Williams
MONROVIA–The Ministry of Gender is preparing to use Liberia’s upcoming presidency of the United Nations Security Council to showcase the country’s experience and leadership in advancing Women, Peace and Security, while sharing lessons from Liberia’s peacebuilding journey with the international community.
A senior representative of the Ministry of Gender made the disclosure Thursday during the Ministry of Information’s regular press briefing in Monrovia, as Liberia prepares for a series of engagements in New York in September ahead of its Security Council presidency in December.
The official said Liberia’s history provides a strong basis for the country to take a leading role in global discussions on women, peace and security, particularly because of the role Liberian women played in ending the country’s civil conflict and supporting the subsequent peacebuilding process.
According to the Gender Ministry, Liberia’s experience demonstrates the transformative power of women’s leadership and grassroots mobilization in promoting peace and resolving conflict.
The official recalled the significant role played by Liberian women during the country’s civil war, noting that women mobilized across communities and helped bring the conflict to an end.
The ministry said Liberia has since become an important example internationally of how women can contribute to peacebuilding, conflict resolution and national reconstruction.
“We stand as a global pioneer for Women, Peace and Security. Across the world, we are an example to the world,” the official said.
The Gender Ministry said international partners and participants at global conferences frequently look to Liberia for lessons on how the country mobilized women and communities during the conflict and transformed that experience into policies and programs promoting peace and security.
The official said Liberia’s participation in the Security Council should therefore not be approached merely as an opportunity to learn from other countries, but also as a platform to share the country’s own experience and expertise.
“We go there with the knowledge, with the skills, to serve the world,” the official said, expressing appreciation for the opportunity to be part of what was described as a historic moment for Liberia.
As part of Liberia’s Security Council-related engagements in New York, the Ministry of Gender will host a high-level side event focusing on Women, Peace and Security.
The official said the event will bring together senior international representatives, including government ministers and other prominent figures, to discuss Liberia’s experience and the broader global agenda on women, peace and security.
The event is expected to feature participation from representatives of several countries, including Austria, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Sierra Leone and Nigeria, as well as the UN Special Envoy on Women, Peace and Security.
Liberia’s own representatives will also participate, including prominent figures associated with the country’s peacebuilding journey.
The official said the event will provide an opportunity for Liberia to tell its story to the international community and highlight the contribution of Liberian women to ending the civil war and rebuilding the country.
The ministry said Liberia’s peace story cannot be separated from the role women played in mobilizing communities and advocating for an end to the conflict.
The official noted that women from different backgrounds, including grassroots and traditional women’s groups, participated in efforts that contributed to the peace process.
Their involvement, the ministry said, helped demonstrate that women are not only victims of conflict but can also be key actors in peace negotiations, conflict resolution and national recovery.
The ministry intends to use the September engagement to highlight this history and demonstrate how women contributed to Liberia’s transition from conflict to peace.
The Gender Ministry also disclosed that Liberia will use the New York side event to launch the country’s third-generation National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security.
The official explained that Liberia was among the first countries emerging from conflict to develop and domesticate a National Action Plan based on UN Security Council Resolution 1325, which recognizes the important role of women in preventing and resolving conflicts, peacebuilding and maintaining international peace and security.
The ministry said Liberia has successfully implemented previous generations of its national action plan and is now preparing to launch the third generation on the global stage.
The launch, according to the ministry, will further demonstrate Liberia’s continued commitment to advancing women’s participation in peace and security.
The Gender Ministry said Liberia’s experience continues to attract international interest, with foreign partners frequently seeking to understand how the country was able to mobilize women during and after the civil conflict.
The official recalled conversations with international partners who have described Liberia as a “classic example” of women-led peacebuilding and asked how the country achieved its progress.
The ministry said Liberia’s response is that it will go to the Security Council with its own experience and lessons to share.
“Liberia’s role at the Security Council is something that the world looks forward to, and they believe in us, so we believe in ourselves,” the official said.
The ministry said the September side event will therefore serve as a platform to showcase Liberia’s journey, including the role of grassroots and traditional women in the peace process and the country’s subsequent rebuilding efforts.
The Gender Ministry’s plans are part of Liberia’s broader preparations for its presidency of the UN Security Council in December.
Foreign Affairs Minister Sara Beysolow Nyanti has emphasized that Liberia’s international engagement must be based on reliable, first-hand information and stronger cooperation with international partners.
Nyanti said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is working to strengthen Liberia’s engagement with other countries and international institutions to ensure that government has the information needed to make evidence-informed decisions and effectively defend Liberia’s interests internationally.
The Gender Ministry said its upcoming engagement in New York will complement that broader diplomatic effort by positioning Liberia not only as a participant in global discussions on women, peace and security, but also as a country with practical experience that can contribute lessons to the international community.
The ministry expressed confidence that Liberia can use its Security Council role to strengthen global partnerships, promote women’s leadership in peacebuilding and reaffirm the country’s commitment to sustaining peace at home and abroad.
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