Liberian and Ugandan Women Peace Leaders Training

Purpose
The Initiative for Inclusive Security hosted seven women legislators and ministers from Liberia and Uganda on May 14-16 in New York City. The women—all members of the Women Waging Peace Network—shared their insights and experiences with representatives of the United Nations, the African Union, and non-governmental organizations such as International Crisis Group, which hosted an open round table discussion on the role of women in building peace and security in Africa. Additionally, Ambassador Swanee Hunt, chair of the Initiative for Inclusive Security, led several trainings. focused on strategic communications, the challenges women speakers face, and media strategies. The event also gave the women the opportunity to discuss specific challenges they face in their respective countries.

Afterward, the women were in Cambridge to participate in Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government’s Women and Power executive program, May 20–25.

BIOGRAPHIES:
Liberian Participants:

Gloria Scott currently serves in the Liberian Senate.  A legal expert, she is a former chief justice of the Supreme Court of Liberia and current member of the Liberian National Bar Association.  As co-founder of the Association of Female Lawyers of Liberia, she has advocated for women’s rights.  She was also an assistant professor at the Louis Arthur Grimes School of Law at the University of Liberia, where she received a bachelor’s degree in economics and a law degree.  Senator Scott also participated in the Independent Electoral Commission.

Alomiza M. Ennos is a representative to the Liberian National House of Assembly and the Chairperson of the women’s caucus.  Before her election to the House, Rep. Ennos worked for the Lutheran World Service on Business Management and Public Administration.  An entrepreneur, she also opened her own business, buying used European tires in Togo and shipping them to Liberia.  Her successful venture led her to buy her own car and rent a store for the business, although the war that broke out in 2003 forced her to shut down.  Rep. Ennos graduated from the University of Liberia.   

Meima Sirleaf Karneh currently serves as the assistant minister for administration for the Ministry of Commerce in Liberia.  Before working at the Ministry of Commerce she was the deputy executive director for Administration for the National Elections Commission also in Liberia. Ms. Karneh graduated from the University of Liberia in 1996 with a bachelor’s degree in Public Administration.  She went on to the University of Antwerp-RUCA to attain a master's degree in Project Evaluation and Management in 2001.  Since that time, Meima has held several posts in government including serving as the deputy director of the Division of Educational Facilities for the Ministry of Education.  Ms. Karneh has also worked with several women organizations in Liberia including the Women Development Association of Liberia, the Liberian Women Initiative, Rural Women Association of Liberian, and the Forum for African Women Educationalist/Liberia chapter.

Lwopu Kandakai presently serves as the deputy minister for Regional Development, Research and Extension in Liberia.  In 1976, she graduated from the University of Liberia with a bachelor’s degree in general agriculture.  Upon completion of her undergraduate degree she was employed with the West African Rice Development Association (WARDA) as a Regional Seed Technologist.  In 1983 Ms. Kandakai completed her graduate degree in Agronomy at Mississippi State University.  Since graduating, she has served as a regional coordinator at the Liberia Refugee Repatriation & Resettlement Commission (LRRRC) and the deputy minister for administration & planning, Ministry of Gender & Development in Liberia.

Hawah Goll-Kotchi is deputy minister (administration) in Liberia's Ministry of Education.  She began her undergraduate education at the University of Liberia where she attained a degree in English and Sociology.  After completing her undergraduate studies, Hawah attended graduate school on a World Bank Scholarship at George Washington University in Washington, D.C. where she studied Program Evaluation.  Upon graduation she began working at the Ministry of Education in Liberia. Hawah has also served as Secretary General of the Liberian National Commission for UNESCO.  Mrs. Kotchi served as Evaluation Specialist for the USAID funded Program Learning Project with the Ministry of Education. She was also Advisor to Liberian Interim President, Dr. Amos Sawyer, for Legislative Affairs. Mrs. Kotchi is a founding member of the forum for African Women Educationalists and a member of many women and youth groups.

Ugandan Participants:

Winifred Masiko is a member of the Ugandan Parliament and chairperson of the Uganda Women Parliamentary Association.  Born in 1960, she is a teacher by profession, a trainer of trainers, and a community development and gender specialist.  She holds a bachelor of arts from Makerere University, a postgraduate diploma in education, and a master’s degree in social sector planning and management.  She was a member of the Constituent Assembly that developed the 1995 constitution. Previously, she was vice-chairperson in the local government of Rukungiri District .  Rep. Masiko was elected to serve in Parliament from 2001-2006, and she was re-elected for a second term, ending in 2011.  She sits on the Natural Resources and Public Account committees.  She is a member of the AMANI Peace Forum, Food Security and Reproductive Health Forum, and the Children Forum in Parliament.

Florence Ibi Ekwau is a member of the Ugandan Parliament and woman representative of Kaberamaido district in Eastern Uganda.  Born in 1976, she holds a diploma in education, was a teacher, and served as a deputy headmaster of a secondary school.  She sits on the Natural Resources and Public Account committees, and is a member of the AMANI Peace Forum, Food Security and Reproductive Health Forum, and the Children Forum in Parliament. In addition to being a member of the Uganda Women Parliamentary Association, she is part of the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) party. Rep. Ekwau is also a shadow minister of Land and Physical Infrastructure.

Press Releases and Media Coverage
5-Part Voice of America Series on Liberian Women

Liberian and Ugandan Women Share Experiences and Insights on Security
May 10, 2007

Links
Liberia Consultation December 2006
Liberia Gender Symposium