On January 16, 2006, after fourteen years of civil war, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf was inaugurated President of Liberia. Her campaign navigated a hotly-contested election, which she won with the overwhelming support of women across Liberia. As the first elected female head of state in Africa, she has appointed other extraordinary women to leadership positions in all areas of government, including the Police Chief and the ministers of Justice, Commerce, and Finance. With unprecedented access, Iron Ladies of Liberia chronicles her historic first year in office.

In the two decades leading up to Sirleaf’s inauguration, Liberia had been victimized by two civil wars, claiming the lives of over 200,000 Liberians and displacing 1 million more. President Sirleaf steps into a government wracked with debt that is struggling to re-establish the basic infrastructure and social programs destroyed by the wars. She is also confronted with the violent legacy of former president Charles Taylor.

Iron Ladies of Liberia is an exceptional film that considers whether Africa’s first female president, backed by a female dominated cabinet, can bring sustainable democracy and peace to one of the continent’s most devastated countries.

Directed by Siatta Scott Johnson and Daniel Junge
2007, 52 minutes
Available exclusively with purchase of the Why Democracy? collection

* Student Jury Prize, One World Film Festival, Prague, 2008
* Target Documentary Feature Sward, AFI Dallas, 2008
* Best Political Documentary, Banff World Television Festival, 2008
* Best Documentary, Banff World Television Festival, 2008

“Highly recommended. A quality presentation worthy of inspiring viewers to follow-up on current affairs in Liberia.” - Educational Media Reviews Online

“The producers of this moving film follow Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, Africa's first female President who was elected in 2006, through her first year in office as she and her heavily female cabinet attempt to right the country's course. Camera crews document the almost overwhelming problems facing the administration's efforts at improving the lives of the country's needy population. They most certainly are Iron Ladies. English-language subtitles help clarify much of the accentuated dialogue. This intriguing title could be utilized in social science classrooms as well as in media centers.” - School Library Journal