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234 Wom en in Wa r and Its Aftermath: Liberia Charlotte Abaka, Ghana Liberia is a small country on the northwest coast of Africa with a population of more than 3.4 million. Originally inhabited only by indigenous Africans, it became the home for liberated American slaves in the nineteenth century, and thus the name “Liberia” was adopted, meaning “Land of the Free.” The country is rich in natural resources, such as diamonds, gold, and timber, and it holds vast rubber plantations. However, over the last two decades it has suffered from fourteen years of devastating civil conflicts. The first period of conflict, which began when Charles Taylor launched a rebellion to unseat then President Samuel K. Doe lasted from 1989 to 1996. This ended with an internationally brokered peace accord that included a general amnesty. However, the 1997 election—which Taylor won—was conducted in an atmosphere of threats and intimidation , and there was a return to civil war from 1999 to 2003. In August 2003, Liberia’s warring factions signed an internationally brokered peace agreement in Accra, Ghana, called the Accra Comprehensive Peace Agreement (ACPA). The accord installed a broad-based interim Government—the National Transitional Government of Liberia (NTGL)—which took on the task of guiding Liberia toward elections in 2005. Since August 2003, several positive factors have contributed to a marked decrease in political instability and human rights abuses—particularly killings, disappearances, and arbitrary arrests—thus helping to establish the enabling environment for the election in October 2005 and the run-off election a month later. These factors include the departure of Taylor into exile, the establishment of the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) in September 2003, and the subsequent deployment in the country of about fifteen thousand peacekeepers and one thousand civilian police.1 It is important to mention that the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), which actually sent the initial peacekeeping force to Liberia before UNMIL took over, was instrumental both in facilitating the ceasefire agreement and the ACPA and in the follow up of its implementation.2 The positive developments in the area of human rights notwithstand- women in war and its aftermath: liberia l 235 ing, there are very serious violations of almost all of the sixteen substantive articles of CEDAW as well as noncompliance with the Convention’s procedural Article 18, which obligates the country to report to the CEDAW Committee on a regular basis. Liberia has been a State Party to the Convention since July 17, 1984. Laudably, it acceded to it without reservations , and on September 22, 2004, it also signed the Optional Protocol to the Convention. However, the Government of Liberia has so far not submitted a single report. Despite these shortcomings of the past twenty-two years with respect to all aspects of the implementation of the Convention due to a lack of political will and resources and the civil conflicts, the Convention can and should be utilized as an important tool to guarantee Liberian women the exercise and enjoyment of their human rights, and on this basis to transform Liberian society so that peace can be sustained and development can progress. When I was appointed as UN Independent Expert on the Situation of Human Rights in Liberia in 2003, I was determined to apply my knowledge of the Convention—gained as a member (1991–2002) and former Chairperson (2001–2002) of the Committee as well as a member and Chairperson of the Ghana National Council on Women and Development (1990–1993, 2000–2002)—to contribute to achieving the guarantee of Liberian women’s human rights in law and their realization in practice.3 The following will be a short description of the human rights violations Liberian women have been and still are subjected to. I will point to recent efforts by the Liberian Government to conform with the obligations it carries under the Convention and will identify additional efforts needed in order to fully guarantee Liberian women’s enjoyment of their human rights in all areas of their lives. Elections The most recent electioneering process in Liberia has been a remarkable success story. The ACPA mandated the National Electoral Commission (NEC) to hold parliamentary and presidential elections in October 2005. Fortunately, a well-qualified woman, Frances Johnson-Morris, was appointed Chairperson of the NEC. Her leadership, together with the committed team of commissioners, who worked under very difficult conditions , led to the success story. Over 1.35 million Liberians braved rainy weather and...

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