The role of women peace movement in ending the Liberian second civil war: A leadership analysis - a podcast by ALC Pan-African Radio

Who says women cannot put an end to a war?
Who says women are not good at putting to pressure on their governments to deliver?
Liberian women have proven to be leaders worthy to talk about in the discourse of leadership and security in Africa.
Liberia this uncolonized West-African Country had to through two Civil wars before Peace could Finally Arrive.
Post-independence Africa witnessed numerous conflicts, especially in West Africa; in the Casamance region of Senegal, in Sierra Leone and of course Liberia. Today, Liberia continues to experience governance challenges under President George Weah. Such challenges were partly responsible for the outbreak of the second civil war in 1999. But women are in fact in the lead in ensuring government accountability to avoid a slip back to the 1999 ugly scenario. We may not be pessimistic but should be cautious.
Liberia’s second civil war ended in 2003. Who was behind the end of this war? In this programme, I shall take you through the role of the Liberian women peace movement under the leadership of a Nobel peace prize winner and a peace advocate, Leymar Gbowee in ending the country’s second civil war.
The war erupted when rebel group, Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy (LURD) emerged in the north of the country. These were disenfranchised warlords who started confrontation with Taylor’s regime in 1999. The country’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission estimated that over 250, 000 people were killed and about one million more displaced. The war also destroyed the economy and livelihoods in the country. and the entire Liberian nation was traumatised and hopes shattered. Rape was more evident during the war which triggered the rise of the Mass Action for Peace; the women peace movement in responding to the crisis, with the goal of attaining peace.
As rebels advanced towards Monrovia, Leymah Gbowee, a woman, got inspired to prepare a response; a desire that brought Christian and Muslim women together to form a peace movement as an effective response mechanism. While Taylor tried to use the church to advance his goal, Leymah provided a counternarrative; the idea to bring women of both the Christian and Muslim faiths to start a peace movement.
In the context of situational leadership analysis, Gbowee’s ideas were religiously inspired that motivated the peace movement. The unity found at the heart of the Mass Action for Peace which included the women peace movement was a struggle to attain peace. Their shared experience as mothers, sisters, aunts and daughters united them on a common purpose. Bernard Bass and Ronald Riggio posit that transformational leadership is anchored on the involvement of both men and women-the gender dimension of leadership. Gbowee’s leadership style of persistence, energising the women group towards their common goal paid dividend.
A peace deal was signed, and a transitional government set up to oversee a democratic election. This election marked a new beginning of hope, democracy and stability in Liberia.
The second Liberian civil war impacted negatively on the people: from loss of lives to rape and pillage. It is worthy to note that women were the key drivers of peace in the country through various forms of engagement. Liberia became better off as the country underwent a post-conflict development and peacebuilding process, including Security Sector Reform (SSR) as part of its transitional justice program. In addition, the election of Allen Johnson Sirleaf marked the country’s true transition to democracy; Liberia stands out as a beacon of democracy and stability in West Africa. It is safe to conclude that Liberia is heading towards democratic consolidation. Without the non-violent, yet effective response from the women peace movement, it is arguable that Liberia would have now been a failed state.
Liberian has won!!!

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