LIBERIA: Regional Body Honors Liberian Leader

Accordingly, President Ellen Johnson was selected for the 2011 award, becoming the first woman president to receive the award since the regional body started to honour African leaders for their gender activities, locally and regionally.

The executive director of Femmes Africa Solidarite (FAS),Bineta Diop, a Pan-African Center for Gender, Peace and Development told journalists that the Liberian president was chosen by a selection committee after assessing what measures were taken to promote gender issues in Liberia.

The president was commended for her efforts to expand education and measures taken against violence against women in that country.

The Liberian president, who is expected to attend the AU summit this weekend, will receive the award.

In the past, the Senegalese, South African, Rwandan and Mozambique presidents were honored for such initiatives.

Diop said that the nomination criteria was made based on the Solemn Declaration on Gender Equality in Africa (SDGEA).

Governance, peace and security, human rights, health, education and economic empowerment are the criteria for the gender award by the FAS, which comprise a number of African NGOs and civil society organizations working on gender and related issues FAS is currently holding a meeting in parralel with the on-going meeting of the AU summit, advocating measures to be taken by the leaders on gender issues in Africa.