UN Assistant SG to Visit Liberia

The Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations and Deputy Executive Director of UN Women, Asa Regner, is set to visit Liberia from June 26 - 29.

According to a release from the UN Women Liberia office, the visit is aimed at strengthening and re-affirming UN Women’s support for the advancement of gender equality and empowerment of women and girls in Liberia. 

She is expected to be accompanied by the UN Women Regional Director for West and Central Africa, Oulimata Sarr. During her visit, Regner is expected to meet various stakeholders including President George Weah; Vice President Jewel Howard Taylor; and several government officials and development partners as well as the UN Country Team in Liberia.

The UN Women Deputy Executive Director will also meet various women’s groups and young women leaders, among others to discuss opportunities for enhancing women’s participation in politics and leadership positions.  Ms. Regner’s visit comes at a time when the country is preparing for the 2023 elections and women are grossly underrepresented in politics and decision-making positions. 

Another highlight of the mission is the visit to the vocational and heritage center in Todee, Montserrado County which was constructed by UN Women under the European Union, United Nations, and the Liberian government spotlight initiative.   The center will serve as a dedicated learning place for traditional practitioners and young women and girls to learn new skills to enable them to get an alternative source of income to replace female genital mutilation (FGM). 

Regner will also get the opportunity to meet and interact with traditional practitioners who formerly practiced FGM but are now beneficiaries of the alternative economic livelihood program, and see first-hand integrated approaches being used to prevent violence against women and girls and the women’s economic empowerment initiatives being implemented. 

She will also visit the Fish market women’s Peace Hut, a center for conflict prevention, resolution and peace building.At the end of the visit, Ms. Regner will hold a press briefing with media practitioners in Liberia.

UN Women is the United Nations entity dedicated to gender equality and the empowerment of women. A global champion for women and girls, UN Women was established to accelerate progress on meeting their needs worldwide. The entity works to position gender equality as fundamental to the Sustainable Development Goals, and a more inclusive world.