—Citing Women’s Vital Role in Peace and Security
The Ministry of National Defense and the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL) have launched a one-day awareness campaign in Kakata, Margibi County, aimed at encouraging greater participation and inclusion of women in the military.
Speaking Friday, August 14, on the Classic Breakfast Show, AFL Inspector General Col. Esther F. Koon said women are important partners in maintaining peace and security and should be included in national security discussions and opportunities.
Col. Koon noted that women’s participation in the AFL has grown from about 4 percent to 7.4 percent but stressed the need for more women to consider careers in the military.
She encouraged women in Margibi County and across Liberia to explore available opportunities within the AFL, noting that their contributions are essential to the military’s ability to fulfill its national responsibilities.
The awareness campaign is being held at the Kakata Administrative Building with support from UN Women through the Elsie Initiative Fund.
The Kakata event forms part of Phase Two of a nationwide awareness campaign that the Ministry of National Defense and the AFL are implementing across the Central and Southeastern regions.
The campaign, titled “Strengthening the Armed Forces of Liberia’s Women’s Active Participation in Peace and Security Through Deployment to Peacekeeping Missions,” is supported by UN Women under the Elsie Initiative Fund and seeks to encourage more women to join the AFL and expand their role in peace and security.
It engages women’s groups, youth groups, local government officials, market women, Peace Huts, rural women, young women’s groups, traditional leaders, chiefs and elders, and religious leaders to build greater understanding of and support for women’s participation in military service.
The campaign’s primary objective is to support the Ministry of National Defense and the AFL’s efforts to increase women’s representation in the military by improving public understanding, challenging negative social norms and stereotypes, and building stronger family and community support for women’s participation in military service and peacekeeping operations.
Through community engagements, public awareness sessions, and dialogue with key stakeholders, the Ministry of National Defense and the AFL aim to foster an environment that encourages more women to pursue careers in the military and contribute to national, regional, and international peace and security efforts.