The Liberia chapter of the African Women Leaders’ Network (AWLN), has launched a National Dialogue on Positive Masculinity.
The leadership urged men and women to work together in reshaping entrenched cultural attitudes and advancing inclusive leadership.
The event, held on Wednesday, September 10, 2025, at the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Ministerial Complex in Congo Town, brought together political leaders, diplomats, UN representatives, lawmakers, civil society actors and women’s rights advocates in a spirited call for gender partnership.
At the heart of the dialogue was a transformative vision: redefining masculinity (machismo) from dominance to partnership and support, a shift seen as critical to gender equality.
Former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Global Patron of AWLN, opened the forum with a challenge to Liberian women to take ownership of the future.
“This is not about sitting idly by,” Sirleaf declared, noting: “This effort requires each and every one of us. Women must rise up, take charge and hold the future in their hands.”
Madam Sirleaf underscored that women’s leadership is not just about representation, but about shaping country’s destiny, pointing to trailblazers like Angie Brooks Randall, who presided over the United Nations General Assembly in 1969.
“Gender balance remains the key to national progress,” Sirleaf said, adding: Liberia’s history of women making significant contributions both at home and on the global stage.
Comfort Lamptey, UN Women’s Country Representative to Liberia, reinforced the message of partnership.
“Women are nation-builders,” she said. “But progress can only be accelerated when men and women join efforts as equal partners.
Positive masculinity is not about diminishing men’s roles, but about ensuring both genders contribute equally to a stronger future.”
She also appealed to President Joseph Nyuma Boakai to champion stronger women’s participation in governance, and rally African leaders behind gender equality.
The Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection, Gbeme Horace Kollie, said women’s leadership is “not optional, but key” to development.
“To build a better Liberia, women must be given space and opportunity at every level of decision-making,” she said, highlighting girls’ education as central to equality.
Justice Minister Natu Oswald Tweh, delivered the keynote address on behalf of Vice President Jeremiah Kpan Koung.
Mr. Tweh then referred to the dialogue a “call to action” for inclusive governance.
“This is the time to redefine our history,” Tweh said, “With collective responsibility, we can achieve true gender equality. Men and women alike are essential to building a future that reflects our shared knowledge, experiences, and aspirations.”
He further urged Liberians to embrace positive masculinity as a tool for national healing, particularly in a country still emerging from years of conflict.
Ambassador Marjon V. Kamara, Chair of AWLN Liberia, described the event as a milestone in the chapter work since its 2019 launch.
“It gives me great pleasure, on behalf of AWLN Liberia, to welcome you to this dialogue on positive masculinity,” Kamara said.
She credited the Government of Germany and UN Women for their support, while stressing the need to bridge perceptions about women’s leadership capabilities.
“Men and boys, women and girls must come together to challenge stereotypes,” she noted.
AWLN, established in 2017 as a joint initiative of the African Union, UN Women, and Germany, now operates in 39 national chapters and focuses on six key action areas political participation, peace and security, economic empowerment, social transformation, youth engagement, and positive masculinity.
Despite progress, Liberia still lags behind in women’s political participation, with women holding less than 15 percent of legislative seats, according to civil society reports.
Panelists, including CSA Director General Josiah F. Joekai, Assistant Minister of Internal Affairs William Jallah, and Grand Bassa County lawmaker Thomas Alexander Goshua, explored the cultural and social construction of masculinity.
They warned against the dangers of toxic masculinity, and championed the benefits of gender partnership.
“Positive masculinity is about men embracing supportive, respectful, and equitable relationships,” one panelist remarked.
“Strength lies not in dominating women, but in empowering them.”
The dialogue concluded with AWLN Liberia’s pledge to hold annual forums on positive masculinity, expand community-based programs, advocate for women candidates in upcoming elections, and push for educational reforms that promote equality.
“This is not a one-off event,” Amb. Kamara said.
“It is the beginning of a movement that will require persistence, dialogue, and partnerships.”
Madam Sirleaf left participants with a reminder of the collective stakes: “We are all equal in representing our country. This is about a collective journey toward building a Liberia where men and women walk side by side.”
The challenge now, she added, is to turn commitments into tangible action ensuring that the momentum from September 10, 2025, ignites a new era of gender partnership and inclusive leadership in Liberia and beyond.