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In the United States, we are still
awaiting the day when we can celebrate the election of a woman to the
presidency, but for the country of Liberia, the wait is over.
Ellen
Johnson Sirleaf, a 67 year-old, Harvard educated economist, is the
first female to be elected president in the history of Liberia. For
her, and much of the rest of Liberia's female population, the change to
female leadership was long overdue.
Staggering unemployment and crumbling infrastructure due to a civil war
lasting more than a decade are the legacy left to Sirleaf. With
unemployment at 85%, electricity distribution problems and only 1
textbook for every 27 children, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf certainly has her
work cut out for her. But she, and the many women who helped to elect
her, have nothing but confidence in her ability to rise to these many
challenges.
In
the period of over 160 years in which Liberia has had independence, men
have ruled and, in the words of many of the women they "have failed
us." Sirleaf adds that the male leadership "either by commission or
omission enabled these wars" that have led to the devastation of their
West African nation and that what the women of Liberia said clearly in
the last election was that "now is the time for change."
And
change has come. Half-way into her first term as president, Sirleaf
has rebuilt the army, taken on corruption and begun to rebuild the
infrastructure. It remains to be seen just how much more can be
accomplished under this powerful woman's command.
For more, watch the introductory four-minute video and check the WorldFocus website for an upcoming four-part series on Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.
