President Dr. E. Johnson-Sirleaf, Liberia - Gender Speech

Dr. Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, Africa's first female president made a keynote speech at a workshop on gender and infrastructure co-sponsored by the World Bank and the Government of Japan
during the Fourth International Conference on African Development.

President Johnson-Sirleaf exposed the infrastructure-related challenges faced by women in post-conflict countries like Liberia. "We inherited a devastated country with damaged infrastructure, a country without electricity or running water," President Johnson-Sirleaf explained. "Our market women spend a lot of time travelling under poor transport conditions at high costs, to be able to bring goods to the market to feed the population. The lack of storage facilities means that their perishable goods suffer spoilage, thereby reducing the little profit margin they were able to get." President Johnson-Sirleaf discussed the far-reaching societal consequences of the lack of infrastructure, including an increase in HIV/AIDS infection rates linked to gender-based violence occurring as a consequence of girls being out of school and vulnerable.

President Johnson-Sirleaf continued by stating the importance of involving women in the construction of infrastructure services to position them as stakeholders in their society.
"Let me tell you something about the urban works and the road construction program," President Johnson-Sirleaf said. "Women are so anxious to get ahead, because they want to be a part of society, they go beyond the extra mile. So you see women breaking rocks, to ensure that the roads have gravel. And some of them have begun to so excel that they have become the supervisors [of road constructions]. They keep the tally to make sure the men come to work. They are proud of doing that because they feel that now they are true stakeholders in their society."

With funding from the Gender Action Plan and UNICEF program amongst others, President Johnson-Sirleaf said that programs such as the Liberian Education Trust that aims to rehabilitate and construct 50 schools, and the Market Women Fund designed to improve the conditions for market women were progressing significantly.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• world
• bank
• liberia
• gender
• women
• africa

[caro3600]

Go women self-empowerment!

[moonmusicnartan]

Congratulations Liberia. Very good speech. Thanks.

[zinnahblatee80]

@daniellecon I woundnt give her da credit nor take 8 from her cuz shes in office. we as liberian our complains have do with those things government needs to do for economic activities to flourish. almost 6yrs later our security system is still inadequate. if da international community leaves lib will b vulnerable, da lack of investem ent in our geniuses 2 help manage our own economy, instead all we hear china is doin 8. All this lady is doin is makin confusin excuses thru speeches. nice 2 meet u

[suirvale]

policicians usually say they never enter politics for MONEY.....

I HAVE YET TO SEE A POLITICIAN NOT INVOLVED IN MONEY MAKING..

THEY ARE UNBELIEVABLE IN THEIR CLEVER PURSUIT OF MONEY FOR POWER,.

[daniellecon]

@zinnahblatee80 It takes longer than one term to improve a country that has 80%+ unemployment rate. Since she has been in office there has been double digit economic growth and the counter had not seen that since early 80s

[zinnahblatee80]

@daniellecon I appreciate ur point but dis is almost 6 fuckin years excuse my frenc but as a liberian am angry wit all those fuckers jokers includin dis greedy grandma who said she was goin 4 one term n is goin 4 the 2nd. how do u explain dat? it is evil greed. I kno hell has a special place 4 dis criminal.

[zinnahblatee80]

@mbshar u r spot on my bro. dese ppl r bunch of jokes. dis lady been wantin 2 b pres 4 da last 30yrs n dont have shit plan. i dont blame killa like prince johnson wantin 2 b pres cuz dese ppl r no ditterent from him, dey r all evil doers. da mastermind is as guilty as da pepatrator. dis lady is not iron lady she is a mastermind. if she had da chance 2 kill n surpress ppl like past pres she will, her son Fomba is harassin ppl right now as we speak. lets pray 4 lib cuz all dey got is speeches.

[jedimaster2cool]

she should give up or atleast try to get a fdi for liberia for gold oil and diamonds. i'm sure their economy is shit after 14 years of civil war. hahahahah fucking nigger

[libsupporter1]

GOD BLESS LIBERIA

[mbshar]

Is this why you guys ( Ellen ,Taylor and founder of the NPL) Kill Liberian ? So An asshole like you can give empty speech. You undermined Every government in Liberia and look at the job you are doing, I can not belief you have the mouth to talk about Liberian suffering. Talking about no Road,hospital, food,water ,electricity , Just in case you forgot, bitch! you told your NPL 1990 on BBC to destroy Liberia. I Hope you picture Liberia without your War.But again your greed won't allow you.

[MrJoshua1215]

GREAT WOMAN, BUT I PREFER THE CDC PARTY

[bassreeves1965]

@maranda5690 This bitch is just a western feminist lesbian bitch, I hope someones get rid of her...somehow.