By; Togba-Nah Tipoteh
Prof. Dr. Thomas Piketty, a world-renowned economist from France, researched, wrote, and published The Truth to the effect that there is growing income inequality within countries and between countries (Piketty, Capital and Ideology, Harvard University Press, 2022). This Truth has led to the expression of considerable concern as seen in the deliberations at the Sixth African Women Leadership Network (AWLN), held in Margibi County, Liberia, from October 27-29, 2024, remembering the experience in Beijing thirty years ago at the International Women Conference.
Most African countries are represented in AWLN, as thirty-six African countries have membership in AWLN. In terms of attempting to find ways to build women, most of the participants pointed out the example of Rwanda, indicating that Rwanda has over fifty percent women in the Rwandan Parliament. Liberia has only eleven percent in the House of Representatives and fifteen percent in the House of Senate.
However, AWLN members at the Retreat did not point out the fact that the number of women in the Parliament or National Legislature does not determine the solution to the income inequality or the prevailing poverty generation problem. Look at the popular example of Rwanda. The fact that the President of Rwanda ordered the execution of two Rwandan opposition leaders and sent a Rwandan General disguised as an Envoy to assassinate a Rwandan opposition Leader who took refuge in South Africa was overlooked by the participants.
The powers that be called for integrity. However, the fact that the poverty generation prevails indicates that the powers that be do not exercise the integrity they discuss. The powers that be do not walk their talk. However, the people who love Africa Walk their Talk, as seen in the enormity of elected representatives not being re-elected as they ran to be re-elected. This non-re-election was made possible by raising awareness through the efforts of the people who love Africa. These people exposed the corruption of the electoral system, thereby minimizing the cheating that goes on during elections. This cheating is minimized only through the transformation of the unfair prevailing electoral system into a fair, enduring electoral system. It is only through this transformation that women with good records can get elected to bring in the system of Justice, the indispensable ingredient for peace in Africa and in other parts of the world.
Dr. Tipoteh is a Gender Sensitivity Spokesperson of the Association of Female Lawyers of Liberia (AFELL) and Board Executive Member of the Liberian Women Initiative (LWI)
