Historically, Liberia has tended to encourage women to excel professionally. Since the nineteen seventies, women have held high positions in the Liberian judicial system, including the position of Chief Justice and other branches of government. However, after the Liberian civil war broke out in 1990, which lasted for fourteen years, most families (including mine) were displaced and had to start life all over in a foreign country. This situation required balancing my career and family and, consequently, at various times, I had to give priority to one over the other. Somehow, it appears that the woman is always the one expected to sacrifice career for family. But when I was appointed as Attorney General of Liberia in 2009, my husband volunteered to take full charge of family matters so I could return to Liberia to serve my country.

The position was challenging, but I gave it my utmost, and after five years of service, I stepped aside and moved on. Although Liberian women participate in all three branches of the Liberian government, they continue to be underrepresented in each branch. Any underrepresented group will be, without a doubt, underserved. To counter this, women must work together to increase their numbers in key sectors, especially the legislature. That way, they can influence the enactment of laws that will positively impact women's lives. Most importantly, public awareness and implementation are critical steps to take if women are to benefit from laws enacted to improve their lives.