Dare 2 Tackle with Amelia S. Siaffa

20/06/2024

I am happy to share my first meaningful pictures of 2024 captured during Sister AID Liberia INC’s two-day Gender Transformative Leadership, Positive Masculinity, and Gender Norms Training, supported by UN Women Liberia and with funding from Irish Aid.

These images feature county-level and local-level male stakeholders comprising Paramount Chiefs, Town Chiefs, Clan Chiefs, Quarter Chiefs, Traditional Elders, Commissioners, Development and Statutory Superintendent, etc. In all the work we do around advocating for women's equal inclusion and representation, we understand how important it is to mobilize the support of key male stakeholders through training and awareness. Through this approach, we can present new information about gender roles, and responsibilities, that redefine traditional notions of masculinity and encourage men to adopt a more equitable and respectful attitude toward women and girls in Liberia. More importantly, it helps create a more inclusive and supportive environment for women to participate and thrive.

Supervising this interaction was a privilege. In another universe where the initiation of the Women's Rights Movement never ensued, I would not have had the chance to exist in the same room with these men, especially in a highly traditional county like Gbarpolu and being this young. But, oh, thank the good Lord for this universe where I can not only exist but also serve as one of the people providing new information to them.

02/12/2023

Quote of the Day
"Men do not LIKE women who…..”

Shhhhhhhh! Gender Double Standard - We don't care! - Amelia Siah Siaffa

Day #7 of 16 days
December 1st, 2023
Global theme: Invest to Prevent Violence against Women and Girls.

National theme: Empower Women, Secure our Nation: Invest Locally to prevent violence against women and girls.

Ms. Amelia Siah Siaffa serves as the Technical Officer to the Bureau of the regional President of the West African Network of Young Female Leaders (ROAJELF) and an Executive member of ROAJELF Liberia. She is a young woman leader, a women’s rights advocate, and an SDG #5 campaigner – with over four years of experience working as a Gender Equality activist within the Civil Society space, in Liberia and West Africa. In 2021, she served as a lead advocate with the Voice of International Students (VOIS) – Cyprus on the Gender Committee, where she campaigned to end Sexual Violence against Black Female Students in North Cyprus. Ms. Siaffa is currently the Program Director on Women’s Political Leadership at Sister Aid Liberia, Inc. and the Women Political Empowerment and Leadership Clinic sponsored by UN Women, Irish Aid, and the Embassy of Sweden.

Under her leadership as Program Director, Sister AID Liberia, Inc. through the Women Political Empowerment and Leadership Clinic has enhanced the leadership capacity of three hundred and more women aspirants/candidates, including sitting women parliamentarians, along with key members of their campaign team, in essential competent tracks, including constituency research and resource mobilization; partnership and alliance building; voter targeting and campaign operations and management, etc., which equipped women aspirants/candidates with knowledge, skills, and tools in political leadership that enabled them to have effectively contested in Liberia’s just ended October 2023 legislative election. She also led the establishment of three young women transformative leaders’ networks, Inter-University and High-School Committees, that are leading initiates for the promotion of young women’s Leadership, and women’s political participation in general; and co-funded several networks that provide spaces to amplify the voices of young women and to participate in national decision-making processes fully.

Ms. Siaffa is a student of International Relations at the Adventist University of West Africa and is trained by UN WOMEN in Women's Political Campaign Management, and certificated by the Young Political Leadership School Africa in Leadership, Election Administration, and Governance. Furthermore, She is an alumnus of the Youth Election Fellows program - under the auspices of NAYMOTE-Liberia and the US Embassy in Monrovia, Liberia, and aims at improving young people’s involvement in electoral matters and enhancing their confidence to voice their opinions about Liberia’s Electoral democracy adequately.

Ms. Siaffa is passionate about contributing to the achievement of SDG goal #5, with a vision of a just society where both women and men are equally respected and prioritized.

We are proud of what you do Amelia Siah Siaffa keep up the good work!

27/11/2023

11/10/2023

We did that y'all - we voted for peace ✌️

11/10/2023

FYI

10/10/2023

I am now a second-time voter - yay!

10/10/2023

UN Women has made it possible for us to provide Civic Voter Education and awareness around VAWIE while monitoring. In every polling center we've visited, we have taken at least 20 minutes to provide step-by-step instructions on the voting process. This has been extremely helpful, especially to older women and first-time voters. Kindly follow suit while you are in line to cast your vote - help one to help one.

10/10/2023

So far so good, my team and I have visited about five polling centers, and thankfully, everywhere's moving smoothly and peacefully. Let's maintain the peace today people - Liberia is all we have.

09/10/2023

It is such a shame to listen to a Police officer make statements that threaten the peace of Liberia. State security ought to be neutral in these processes, but uncultural swans are up and down making reckless remarks.

At this point, it seems we can not rely on law enforcement officers to promote us again - as they have shown themselves to be a bunch of compromised adults.

Look out for yourself and your family tomorrow and beyond.