The Golden Tulip Declaration of Liberian Women Attending the Peace Talks in Accra
Accra, Ghana, 15 March 2003

Preamble

We, the representatives of the various Liberian Women’s Organizations at the Accra Peace Talks on Liberia held a one-day Strategic Planning Meeting under the Chairmanship of Her Excellency Madame Ruth Sando Perry on Friday 15th Day of August A.D. 2003 at the Golden Tulip Hotel in Accra to analyse lessons learnt at the Accra Peace Talks from 4 June 2003 to present and to strategize on the inclusion of women within all existing and proposed institutions including all components of the current and in-coming Liberian Government (Executive, Legislative and Judiciary) and within all structures to lead the post conflict peace building process.
Cognizant of women constituting approximately 51.2 percent of the Liberian population;

Recognizing the numerous contributions of Liberian women to the socio-economic development and the political and peace processes;
Noting the continuous exclusion and low participation of women from decision-making bodies;

Recalling UN Resolution 1325 relative to the incorporation of a gender perspective into peace keeping and in the participation of women in the peace negotiation and post conflict reconstruction do hereby resolve as follows:

1. Greater participation of women in peace keeping missions as well as the disarmament, demobilization and reintegration process;

2. More participation of women in the on going peace process;

3. Awareness and sensitisation meetings by rural and urban women, youth and combatants to lay down their arms;

4. Women leaders who are currently observers at the Accra Peace Talks be made delegates and be given voting rights including places on the Vetting Committee;

5. Lobby all parties including the facilitators at the Peace Talks in Accra for 50% representation of women in the Transitional Leadership;

6. Encourage all women to support women candidates;

7. Women organization in Liberia be supported and empowered by the Government of Liberia, UNAIDS, and UNIFEM to actively participate in the implementation of all activities involving the prevention and control of HIV/AIDS during the post conflict process;

8. Liberian women be integrated and supported in all decision-making policies on HIV/AIDS prevention and control (National and International);

9. Recognition and empowerment of delegates to the Golden Tulip Consultative and Strategic Planning meeting as a core group for the inclusion of women in the process of rehabilitation, reconstruction and redevelopment of Liberia;

10. Establishing contacts with existing donor agencies to support skills training and micro credit program to address humanitarian concerns.

11. UNIFEM and partners to support a Workshop in the coming periods in Monrovia

It was unanimously agreed that UNIFEM be mandated to empower and support the efforts and results arising out of this Consultative and Strategic Planning Meeting and also establish a follow up committee to ensure implementation of the recommendations and decisions emanating from the Accra meeting and beyond. In this regards, a Peace and Security Program will be formulated to support Liberian women’s initiatives for the coming periods in Liberia.

DONE AND ADOPTED THIS 15TH DAY OF AUGUST 2003 AT THE GOLDEN TULIP HOTEL, ACCRA

Distribution List :

- H.E. Gen. Aboubakar Abdoul Salam, ECOWAS principal Mediator, Accra Peace talks
- All representatives of warring factions, political parties and civil society part of the peace process in Accra
- H.E. Dr. John A. Kufuor, President of the Republic of Ghana and ECOWAS Chairperson
- H.E. the President of the Interim Government of Liberia,
- H.E. the Dr. Mohamed Ibn Chambas, Executive Secretary, ECOWAS Abuja
- H.E. Hon. Mrs. Gladys Asmah MP, Minister of Women and Children Affairs of Ghana, Accra
- H.E. the Ambassadors of the USA in Ghana and Liberia
- H.E. Noeleen Heyzer, Executive Director, UNIFEM, New York
- H.E. the UN SRSG in Accra and Monrovia
- H.E. the UN RC in Accra and Monrovia
- H.E. The British Council in Accra and Liberia
- Ghanaian NGOs Coalition, Accra
- Liberian NGO Federation, Monrovia
- Medias Corporation in Accra
- Media Corporation in Ghana