The Feminist Coalition has challenged President Joseph Nyuma Boakai over the reassignment of Defense Minister Geraldine J. George and Commerce Minister Magdalene E. Dagoseh, demanding clarity on their next roles and warning against weakening women’s influence in government.
The coalition said it respects the President’s authority to make changes within his administration but expressed frustration that the two women were reassigned without new positions being announced for them.
The concern comes only days after the coalition and other women’s rights advocates praised the Boakai administration for increasing the number of women in senior government positions.
In a statement issued Friday, the group said the reassignments raise a wider concern about whether women are being moved away from positions where they can influence major national decisions.
“Liberian women have struggled for decades for meaningful representation in national decision-making,” the coalition said, arguing that progress should be measured not only by the number of women appointed but also by whether they remain in positions of authority.
The group said George’s reassignment from the Ministry of National Defense was particularly significant because of Liberia’s commitments under the Women, Peace and Security Agenda, including United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 and Liberia’s National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security.
“At a time when Liberia is working to strengthen women’s participation in the security sector and deepen implementation of its Women, Peace and Security commitments, women must remain visible and influential at the highest levels of security leadership,” it said.
Dagoseh’s reassignment from the Ministry of Commerce and Industry also drew concern because of the important role women play in Liberia’s economy.
The coalition pointed to women’s involvement in petty trading, agriculture, entrepreneurship, markets and cross-border commerce, while noting that many still face challenges accessing finance, markets and opportunities to grow their businesses.
It said their experiences need to be reflected in government decisions on trade, investment, entrepreneurship and economic development.
“For the Feminist Coalition, the question is no longer simply where these women are going next,” the statement said. “The more important question is whether women are being moved out of strategic decision-making spaces at a time when their representation in those spaces is being celebrated as progress.”
The group urged President Boakai to announce the new assignments of George and Dagoseh without unnecessary delay and ensure that the positions match their qualifications, experience and leadership.
“A change in assignment must not become a reduction in influence,” it said.
The coalition also called for more qualified women to be appointed to leadership positions across government, including security, justice, finance, infrastructure, natural resources, agriculture, technology, education, health, diplomacy and public administration.
It said the push for greater representation should also extend beyond Monrovia, with more opportunities for women to serve at county, district and community levels.
The group stressed that its position was not based on political affiliation or personal differences.
“Our position is not about personalities or political affiliation. It is about protecting and expanding women’s right to participate fully and meaningfully in the governance, peace, security and development of Liberia,” the coalition said.
The Feminist Coalition said it remains committed to engaging the government while advocating for gender equality, women’s rights, inclusive governance, peace and security, justice and economic empowerment.
The coalition comprises medica Liberia, Liberia Feminist Forum, Women NGOs Secretariat of Liberia (WONGOSOL), Sisters 4 Sisters Liberia (S4S), and the Radical Young Women Movement Liberia (RAYWOM).
