TheGoldenTulipDeclarationofLiberianWomenAttendingthePeaceTalksin Accra Accra,Ghana,15March2003 Preamble We,therepresentativesofthevariousLiberianWomen’sOrganizationsattheAccra PeaceTalksonLiberiaheldaone-dayStrategicPlanningMeetingunderthe ChairmanshipofHerExcellencyMadameRuthSandoPerryonFriday15thDayof AugustA.D.2003attheGoldenTulipHotelinAccratoanalyselessonslearntatthe AccraPeaceTalksfrom4June2003topresentandtostrategizeontheinclusionof womenwithinallexistingandproposedinstitutionsincludingallcomponentsofthe currentandin-comingLiberianGovernment(Executive,LegislativeandJudiciary)and withinallstructurestoleadthepostconflictpeacebuildingprocess. Cognizantofwomenconstitutingapproximately51.2percentoftheLiberianpopulation; RecognizingthenumerouscontributionsofLiberianwomentothesocio-economic developmentandthepoliticalandpeaceprocesses; Notingthecontinuousexclusionandlowparticipationofwomenfromdecision-making bodies; RecallingUNResolution1325relativetotheincorporationofagenderperspectiveinto peacekeepingandintheparticipationofwomeninthepeacenegotiationandpost conflictreconstructiondoherebyresolveasfollows: 1.Greaterparticipationofwomeninpeacekeepingmissionsaswellasthedisarmament, demobilizationandreintegrationprocess; 2.Moreparticipationofwomenintheongoingpeaceprocess; 3.Awarenessandsensitisationmeetingsbyruralandurbanwomen,youthand combatantstolaydowntheirarms; 4.WomenleaderswhoarecurrentlyobserversattheAccraPeaceTalksbemade delegatesandbegivenvotingrightsincludingplacesontheVettingCommittee; 5.LobbyallpartiesincludingthefacilitatorsatthePeaceTalksinAccrafor50% representationofwomenintheTransitionalLeadership; 6.Encourageallwomentosupportwomencandidates; 7.WomenorganizationinLiberiabesupportedandempoweredbytheGovernmentof Liberia,UNAIDS,andUNIFEMtoactivelyparticipateintheimplementationofall activitiesinvolvingthepreventionandcontrolofHIV/AIDSduringthepostconflict process; 8.Liberianwomenbeintegratedandsupportedinalldecision-makingpolicieson HIV/AIDSpreventionandcontrol(NationalandInternational); 9.RecognitionandempowermentofdelegatestotheGoldenTulipConsultativeand StrategicPlanningmeetingasacoregroupfortheinclusionofwomenintheprocessof rehabilitation,reconstructionandredevelopmentofLiberia; 10.Establishingcontactswithexistingdonoragenciestosupportskillstrainingandmicro creditprogramtoaddresshumanitarianconcerns. 11.UNIFEMandpartnerstosupportaWorkshopinthecomingperiodsinMonrovia ItwasunanimouslyagreedthatUNIFEMbemandatedtoempowerandsupportthe effortsandresultsarisingoutofthisConsultativeandStrategicPlanningMeetingand alsoestablishafollowupcommitteetoensureimplementationoftherecommendations anddecisionsemanatingfromtheAccrameetingandbeyond.Inthisregards,aPeaceand SecurityProgramwillbeformulatedtosupportLiberianwomen’sinitiativesforthe comingperiodsinLiberia. DONEANDADOPTEDTHIS15THDAYOFAUGUST2003ATTHEGOLDEN TULIPHOTEL,ACCRA DistributionList: -H.E.Gen.AboubakarAbdoulSalam,ECOWASprincipalMediator,AccraPeacetalks -Allrepresentativesofwarringfactions,politicalpartiesandcivilsocietypartofthe peaceprocessinAccra -H.E.Dr.JohnA.Kufuor,PresidentoftheRepublicofGhanaandECOWAS Chairperson -H.E.thePresidentoftheInterimGovernmentofLiberia, -H.E.theDr.MohamedIbnChambas,ExecutiveSecretary,ECOWASAbuja -H.E.Hon.Mrs.GladysAsmahMP,MinisterofWomenandChildrenAffairsofGhana, Accra -H.E.theAmbassadorsoftheUSAinGhanaandLiberia -H.E.NoeleenHeyzer,ExecutiveDirector,UNIFEM,NewYork -H.E.theUNSRSGinAccraandMonrovia -H.E.theUNRCinAccraandMonrovia -H.E.TheBritishCouncilinAccraandLiberia -GhanaianNGOsCoalition,Accra -LiberianNGOFederation,Monrovia -MediasCorporationinAccra -MediaCorporationinGhana.