Reconstructing Liberia

US Congressional Action Alert

Reconstructing Liberia
February 13, 2004

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.un.org/news/Press/docs/2004/note5846.doc.htm.

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

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