The Women Non-Governmental Organization Secretariat of Liberia (WONGOSOL) is a Women Rights Organization established to champion the plights of Liberian Women and girls across the country.
WONGOSOL seeks to create the enabling environment by building the capacities of women-led organizations in various aspects such as advocacy for women rights and the fight against gender based violence which has been instituted over the century by man society as accepted as normalcy. Madam Esther S. Davis Yango is the Executive Director of WONGOSOL who came to the organization as a volunteer in 2012, later became one of its Field-officers. However, based on increasing number of registered members and the need to have a coordinator to spearhead the affairs of the membership, the Board of Directors and the membership established the Membership Coordinator position of the organization, which she served as the coordinator for over 5-year, managing the affairs of member organizations’ across the counties. Explaining her role as coordinator, Madam Yango explained said, she served in the position until the demise of the late Executive Director, Madam Marpue M. Speare.
On October 1, 2022, Madam Yango was appointed as WONGOSOL’s Executive Director with the responsibility to steer its affairs.
In a conversation with her over the weekend, the women’s group head narrated that under her leadership, WONGOSOL has made tremendous gains.
One of such is the organization’s five-year strategic plan, which was developed to push the women’s agenda.
The plan will help the organization accomplish its mission and vision, and it’s expected to end in December 2027. Additionally, Madam Yango has also been able to establish a Communication Department to enhance the organization’s visibility and that of its network members. . This medium has expanded advocacy for women and girls- showcasing the work of the organization.
‘Yhe establishment of the communication arm serves as a medium for more visibility and awareness of WONGOSOL work ,the communication department serve as a platform for information dissemination to build relationships with internal and external stakeholders” she further explained.
Under Madam Yango’s leadership, WONGOSOL has been able to strengthen cordial relationship with government through the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Justice and Ministry of Internal Affairs, including enhancing good partnership with the Women Legislative Caucus and the Kivnna till Kivnna and United Nations Women.
Through these partnerships, WONGOSOL has worked to ensure that gender-sensitive laws are passed in the interest of the women and girls of Liberia and over the period has realized that women experiencing numerous forms of violence are vulnerable to poor health and the loss of their lives.
In addition, her leadership, according to her, has been able to advocate for women’s Inclusion in the governance structure.
One of such accomplishments was the advocacy for women’s Inclusion in the leadership Structure of Liberia in January, following the inauguration, which has led to lot of women serving in higher positions.
In January, several women groups led by WONGOSOL gathered at the Capitol Hill to advocate for women’s appointees to serve in government.
” We we able to form solidarity movement and we even wrote out press releases to call the government’s attention to increase women participation in leadership” She added.
She further that most women are experiencing gender-based violence are mostly at risk and lack access to justice and healthcare services noting that especially for women living in the rural and slum communities,as well as women identifying as LGBTQIA+.
According to her,it is important for the government to take an intersectional approach in designing effective laws to respond to the needs of women.
Madam Yango stated that WONGOSOL works to build the capacity of women led organizations to amplify their voices on issues that directly affect them. WONGOSOL continues to work with its members to enhance their capacity in project proposal writing, leadership training and advocacy.
“As a result of these capacities building, women-led organizations are actively engaging into advocacy at the national, county and local levels,we find more women assuming leadership positions’’. She maintained .
She pointed out that more Liberian Women are now seeking legislative positions to represent their people at the National Legislature in government.
Despite all the support and efforts made by CSOs, and international partners and others, Madam Yango highlighted that women still experience discrimination on a daily basis.
There is a pivotal need for protection. This includes their civil rights and freedoms such as political participation and freedom of movement, freedom of information as well as access to justice and protection from violence.
“No women or girl should be denied the rights to education, employment, health including their sexual reproductive rights, but they should have the right to decide and choose how many children she wants, when to get married or attend the bush schools” She asserted.
She pointed out that Liberia, being a signatory to many regional, continental and international laws, has an obligation to design effective laws and policies that will promote gender equality.
Madam Yango called on the government to look at existing laws to identify those that are harmful, and to revise or amend them. “It’s the government’s responsibility to ensure that the people both public officials and society at large are adherence to these laws” she said
She stressed the need for government to create an enabling environment for Liberian Women to compete with their male counterparts in every sector of the society.
According to her, there are more qualified and competent Liberian Women who can perform well in any position of their qualification.
She therefore calls on the government of Liberia to ensure that Laws, policies, and regulations amended to create a gender-neutral environment as this is one of the basis to achieve gender equality, Including women in the national decision making processes, most especially the budget and other national planning processes, which is vital to national development.
WONGOSOL boss said, there are several qualified women in Liberia, therefore, the government who is a the major employer, should provide good jobs for women as well as send a signal to broader society.
“The government needs to appoint more women in government, both at the national and local governance level because women participation is crucial toward the socio and economic development of Liberia” Madam Yango lamented.
She emphasized that empowering Liberian women is crucial for achieving gender equality and development in Liberia.
she highlighted that this cannot be solved by the government alone, noting that the private sector also has a key role to play, but acknowledged that the government needs to create the environment to open up the private sector in order to create work opportunities for women.
Madam Yango cited that the government needs to set an empowering jurisdictive framework, invest in women’s equality, and convene the partnerships that are likely to accelerate progress.
Currently, Madam Yango is also a board member of the Election Coordinating Committee and the Rural Renewable Energy Agency, Member of the Rule of Law Reference Group Libraria, Women in Peacekeeping in West Africa (NOPSWECO).
