APA-Monrovia (Liberia) Addressing an Intellectual Colloquium on Women’s Empowerment And Leadership Development on Tuesday in Monrovia, the Liberian president, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf reminded women that her ascendancy to the nation’s highest office "clearly depicts how far women can go when given the opportunity".

She said the second anniversary of her ascension to the presidency is a "cause for pride and celebration by all women in Liberia.

"We are looking at what we can do to improve the role of our market women by helping to remove them from petty trading to commercial trading that will boost their income generation," President Sirleaf said.

She added that "One of the challenges you will be faced with has to do with the kinds of mechanisms that have been used all over the world in enhancing women’s participation in leadership not only at the top level but at all levels," she added.

The president of Finland,Tarja Halonen, represented by her political advisor, Ms Paivi Kairamo, stressed that human rights belong to everybody, regardless of sex, race or religion.

President Halonen expressed her thanks and appreciation to Liberian women for launching the idea of the International Women’s Colloquium.

The Monrovia colloquium represents a preparatory exercise at the technical level as part of the staggered implementation following the formal launch of preparations in January 2007 of the International Colloquium to be held in February 2009.

The program was agreed to in May 2007 at the first meeting of the International Steering Committee held at the International Trade Center in Geneva, Switzerland.

Prominent personalities in attendance include Elizabeth Sandergaard of the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Thelma Awori, the former UNDP-Africa Director and Director of the East African Institute for Social Transformation in Uganda in attendance.