Biography
In May 2000, women peace builders from Sierra Leone, Guinea, and Liberia came together to form the Mano River Women’s Peace Network (MARWOPNET) to influence policy and advocate for women’s participation in peace processes to end conflicts in their countries. Juanita Jarrett is a founding member of MARWOPNET and Liberia’s former national focal point for the organization. A lawyer, Ms. Jarrett has represented MARWOPNET at a number of summits in West Africa, lobbying for assistance to bring peace to the region. On a national level Ms. Jarrett is a founding member of the Association of Female Lawyers of Liberia (AFELL) and was its first Secretary General; among other legal and human rights projects, she lobbied for the successful passage of the Liberian Inheritance Bill which provides equal inheritance rights to women married under both customary and civil law. She also advocated for the establishment of the first Juvenile Court in Liberia. In her ardent quest to improving the quality of life and enhancing the development of women and children, Ms. Jarrett continues to network, disseminate information on developments in Liberia to various interest groups in the United States and elsewhere as well as participate actively in relevant programs. Since 2007, Ms. Jarrett has been helping seniors in Montgomery County, Maryland remain independent and integral members of the community through her role as program director of a small non-profit organization. Ms. Jarrett also continues to advocate for the empowerment and rights of women. As secretary of the American Association of University Women, Silver Spring Branch, she shares ideas to advance equity and education for women and girls (3.2011).