The GREAT Inititiative - Gender Right & Equality Trust

Gender equality advocate Ellen Johnson Sirleaf wins the 2011 FAS African Gender Award

January 25, 2011  Mariella's Blog

Many months ago when Marc (Carter) and I first met to discuss how we might create the organisation that has now been realised as the Gender Rights & Equality Action Trust, or GREAT, our goal was to raise awareness of the work of an African charity campaigning for the rights of African women, and formed by African women, Femmes Africa Solidarité (FAS).

Within the many projects that FAS has instigated or administers, we were most inspired by its FAS Gender Award. This high profile awards event has been created to recognise the positive work being done in many countries across Africa to foster gender equality.

I have just received an email notifying me that the 2011 Award has been given to H.E. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Liberia’s first female head of state and a powerful advocate for women’s rights. She once said: “I ran for President because I am determined to see good governance in Liberia in my lifetime. But I also ran because I am the mother of four, and I wanted to see our children smile again”. With this Award, FAS wished to acknowledge the progress made by Liberia in providing ‘genuinely’ free education to the children of poor Liberian women and also in establishing the county’s Women Market Fund.

Ellen Johnson Sirleaf is already an inspiration to women and children in Liberia – they say ‘Ellen helps us believe in the women of Liberia and the women want peace’ – let’s hope that with this Award, she will inspire other African leaders to embrace gender equality as a critical issue on their own national agenda.

Responses

1. On March 25, 2011 at 5:29 pm, Tracie Tolbert said:

   President Ellen Sir Leaf Johnson is a hero!

   Reply