|
US Congressional Action Alert
Reconstructing Liberia
February 13, 2024
On February 5 and 6, the participants of an international conference
aimed at helping Liberia recover from 14 years of civil war pledged
more than $500 million in new humanitarian and reconstruction assistance.
Cohosted by the United States, World Bank, and United Nations,
the International Reconstruction Conference for Liberia drew representatives
from 96 countries. It sought $488 million as outlined in a joint
United Nations/World Bank Needs Assessment of Liberia's reconstruction
requirements for the two-year transition leading to national democratic
elections in October 2005.
For more information regarding the outcomes of the conference,
please reference http://www.undp.org/dpa/pressrelease/releases/2004/february/Libfinalcomm.html.
The full participation of women in the reconstruction of Liberia
is crucial. On the eve of the International Reconstruction Conference
on Liberia, the minister for gender and development, Vabah Kazaku
Gayflor, has called for the full participation of women in the
West African country's reconstruction process. Minister Gayflor
highlighted areas such as security, health, education, and economic
empowerment as issues of particular concern: “The special
needs of women and children have to be addressed and support must
be increased. This also means that the capacity of coordination
mechanisms like the Gender Ministry and the NGO Secretariat in
Liberia must be strengthened in order to work effectively and efficiently.”
A national women’s conference in March will serve to highlight
women’s priority concerns in the post-conflict period and
to develop an action plan for women's participation in the reconstruction
and rehabilitation process in Liberia.
| ACTION STEP: Contact the representatives below to advocate for
women’s integration into the reconstruction of Liberia. Specifically,
financial resources should be allotted for disarmament, demobilization,
and reintegration programs to include the needs and contributions
of women. |
Jacques Paul Klein
Special Representative of the Secretary General
Coordinator, UN Operations in Liberia
United Nations
Ambassador John D. Negroponte
US Mission to the United Nations
Andrew Natsios
Administrator
US Agency for International Development
Julia Taft
Assistant Administrator and Director
Bureau for Crisis Prevention and Recovery
United National Development Programme
Carole Brookins
US Executive Director
International Bank for Reconstruction and Development
World Bank
return to top
|