On Mar. 28, Plymouth State University professor Whitney Howarth, accompanied by Dr. Krisan Evenson and guest speaker Daryl Browne, who has just returned from a recent trip to Liberia, hosted a documentary screening in honor of International Women’s Day.
The documentary “The Iron Ladies of Liberia” explores the roles of different women in Liberia, ranging in occupation from president to officer of the law, the main character being the current president of Liberia, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.
The film focused on much more than the women of Liberia, exploring the economic and social turmoil that the country had experienced in recent years due to two civil wars between 1989 and 2005 under the leadership of former president Charles Taylor.
The documentary began filming just after Taylor, the former president of Liberia, was removed from his position, but chronicled many of his actions as president of Liberia. Charles Taylor was accused of many heinous war crimes; some consider him one of the main agents of the 14-year period during which the country faced civil war and strife.
After Taylor’s resignation, the need for a new leader arose. A presidential race quickly developed to fill the void that Taylor had left in the country. With Taylor removed from the political landscape, the people of Liberia were able to elect a leader.
Ellen Johnson Sirleaf assumed office in 2006 and was faced with the task of restoring a sense of peace and order amongst her citizens. She took nearly 60% of the popular vote.
“The world is watching Liberia in a new way now,” said Sirleaf to a crowd of supporters shortly after her victory.
The documentary shed some light on some controversial issues in Liberia, such as the overwhelming ratio of street workers and marketers, the country’s lack of innovation, the problem of corruption, and the payment of solider pension.
During the civil war, Liberian soldiers were promised paid pensions when the war was over, but have yet to be paid. The problem is that there isn’t enough money to give to everyone. President Sirleaf is trying to rebuild the home the soldiers destroyed, work on clearing the Liberian national debt, and still find a way to pay the soldiers.
“A massive problem of corruption has been revealed,” said President Sirleaf about the nation’s economic state, which contributes to the fears of small groups forming and creating enough conflict to cause the country to break out into another civil war. There is money missing from the government and the President is unable to pinpoint exactly who has taken it or where it has gone.
“The fighting that’s going on,” said Sirleaf, “it’s not solving problems.” Sirleaf asserts that there needs to be some unity amongst the people of Liberia before everything can be fixed.
These problems don’t just pertain to Liberia, due to the country’s connection the United States. “The partnership between the U.S and Liberia is valuable,” says Sirleaf, and it was people from the U.S. that help found the country of Liberia. The film is not just about women, but what people as a whole can do, how they can work together, restore what they once had and move towards constant improvement.
Since being elected to office in 2006, Sirleaf has lead Liberia towards becoming a more humane and more productive place. For her efforts in promoting equality and humanity and the advancement of women, Sirleaf, along with two other women, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in Dec. of 2011.