UNIFEM Congratulates New Liberian President And Pledges $500,000 To Support Gender Ministry

January 23, 2006 - (UNIFEM News Release) The United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) presented its congratulations to Liberia's new President, Ellen Johnson- Sirleaf, at her official inauguration ceremony in Monrovia on 16 January 2006, pledging US$500,000 to support the Ministry of Gender and Development, and women's organisations to promote gender equality and peace in the country.

"UNIFEM is proud to have supported the Ministry of Gender and Development, and women's organizing throughout Liberia to reach this truly historic achievement," said Noeleen Heyzer, UNIFEM's executive director, who attended the inauguration. Vabah Gayflor, Minister of Gender and Development, pointed to UNIFEM's long history of working with Liberian women - "They stood with us when we were mobilizing to support women's candidacy and leadership in the parliamentary and presidential elections."

President Johnson-Sirleaf is the first elected female president in Liberia, and the first elected woman head of state on the African continent. In her inaugural speech, she acknowledged the invaluable role women played in the elections, saying "They stood with me. They defended me. They prayed for me." She pledged to 'empower Liberian women in all areas of national life', and to deliver on her government's commitments and targets to promote peace and gender equality.

Following the inauguration ceremony, Heyzer met with the President, Minister of Gender and Development and over 200 women from all the counties of Liberia to discuss the development of a national programme to empower women. As the women's fund of the United Nations, UNIFEM will be mobilising the UN system to respond to the priorities identified by the women's strategic action plan.

UNIFEM, together with UNDP will also soon conduct a gender assessment that will feed into UN development assistance frameworks.

From: http://www.unifem.org/news_events/story_detail.php?StoryID=398