Liberia: AWDF to attend colloquium

THE AFRICAN WOMEN’S DEVELOPMENT FUND AT THE INTERNATIONAL COLLOQUIUM IN LIBERIA CO-HOSTED BY PRESIDENT SIRLEAF-JOHNSON OF LIBERIA AND PRESIDENT HALONEN OF FINLAND

The African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF) will be participating in the International Colloquium on Women’s Empowerment, Leadership Development, International Peace & Security in Monrovia Liberia, 7th – 8th March, 2009. This event is co-hosted by President Ellen Sirleaf-Johnson of Liberia and President Tarja Halonen of Finland. AWDF is proud to be a co-funder and thematic lead for this innovative leadership colloquium. As part of our support for this event, AWDF will be convening a number of activities before and during the International Colloquium, as well as supporting African women leaders from around the continent to attend the Forum.

As part of our ongoing commitment to ensuring adequate resources for women’s rights organisations in Liberia, AWDF will convene a Resource Mobilisation workshop and Donor Forum on Friday the 6th of March, at PA’s Rib House, Monrovia. On Saturday 7th March, Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi, Executive Director of AWDF will moderate The Great Debate, “We Have Wasted Our Time Pushing for More Women in Decision Making Positions, They Are Indifferent to the Concerns of Women”. Speakers for the Motion are Thelma Ekiyor (West Africa Civil Society Institute), Dr Thelma Awori (Institute for Social Transformation, Uganda) Dr Abena Busia (University Professor/Member of AWDF USA board). Speakers against the motion are Honourable Varbah Gayflor (Minister for Gender & Development, Liberia), Honourable Zeinab Bangura (Member of Parliament, Sierra Leone) and Honourable Margaret Dongo (Former Member of Parliament, Zimbabwe). Respondents are Honourable Catharine Mabobori (Member of Parliament, Burundi), Nemata Majeks-Walker (Founder, The 50:50 Group) and Salimata Porguet (Former Member of Parliament, Ivory Coast)

AWDF in association with President Ellen Sirleaf-Johnson will also launch “The Compendium of Key Instruments for African Women’s Human Rights” on Sunday the 8th of March. Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi, Executive Director of AWDF states “In a time of global crisis and challenges, supporting women’s transformational leadership and political participation is more important now than it has ever been. AWDF is proud to support the International Colloquium which seeks to bring together women leaders to promote women’s leadership on peace and security”

ENDS

The African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF) is a grant-making foundation which supports local, national and regional organizations in Africa working towards women’s empowerment. AWDF through institutional capacity building and program development seeks to build a culture of learning and partnerships within the African women’s movement.

The vision of AWDF is for African women to live in a world in which there is social justice, equality and respect for women’s human rights. To this end, our mission is to mobilize financial resources to support local, national and regional initiatives led by women, which will lead to the achievement of this vision.

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