Clar Marie Weah
First Lady of Liberia
In office
22 January 2018
PresidentGeorge Weah
Preceded byNettie Blah
Personal details
Born
Clar Marie Duncan

11 March 1965 (1965-03-11) (age 58)
Kingston, Jamaica
NationalityAmerican
Political partyCongress for Democratic Change (CDC)
SpouseGeorge Weah
ChildrenMartha Weah, George Weah Jr, Timothy Weah
Websitewww.emansion.gov.lr

Clar Marie Duncan Weah (née Duncan; born 11 March 1965) is a Jamaican-American[1] businesswoman, philanthropist, advocate, and the current First Lady of the Republic of Liberia. She is the wife of George Manneh Weah, the 25th President of the Republic of Liberia, elected in 2017. Clar established the Clar Hope Foundation in 2018, with the goal of improving the livelihoods of the least privileged in Liberia.

Biography

Early life and career

Clar Marie Duncan was born in Kingston, Jamaica, and is the youngest of seven children.[2] In her early youth, she migrated along with her family to the United States.[3] In the United States, she attended the City University of New York and earned her nursing license and a bachelor's degree in Health Sciences. She launched her career working as a customer service representative in New York at both Citibank and Chase Manhattan Bank, during which time she, in conjunction, managed small businesses.

She later pursued her studies leading her to a nursing career.[4] She worked at Jamaica Hospital in New York City.[5]

Marriage and children

Clar met George Weah, the then football star, in the early 90s at Chase Manhattan Bank in New York, where she was serving as a customer service representative.[6] They married on 26 June 1993,[7] and have three children – Martha Weah, George Weah Jr.,[8] and Timothy Weah.[9] Their sons are international football players.[10]

Office of the First Lady 2018 – present

Following the election of her husband as the 25th President of Liberia,[11] Weah started her role as the First Lady of the Republic of Liberia.[12] She set out to develop programs and social projects that encompass services targeting the assistance of orphans, street children, the elderly, women, and girls, with a focus on rural settings.[13]

In 2018, the Clar Hope Foundation was founded as a non-political initiative.[14] The foundation aims to assist disadvantaged children, youth and women. Its objectives focus on delivering essential educational and emergency healthcare as a universal and constitutional health-right to every Liberian citizen.[15]

The Clar Hope Foundation came from the merger of sustainable development solutions.

In June 2019, President Weah launched Clar Weah's flagship initiative, the "She's You" movement.[16] [17] According to its mission statement, it aims to advance gender equality through the promotion of women's empowerment and fight to end all forms of violence and detrimental practices against women, girls, and children.[18] The She's You movement objectives are to create a conducive environment for women and girls to live free of violence, rape, gender inequalities[19] At the launch of "She's You", President Weah disclosed that on his wife's initiative, the new home for the elderly in Grand Bassa County was almost ready for use.[16]

In September 2020, at the launch of the Liberian Anti-SGBV Conference, Clar Weah reiterated that there was no excuse for rape in her country. She explained that despite her efforts with the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, sexual and gender based violence continued. "But with all our efforts," she explained, "SGBV persists. It is sickening to hear children as young as 10 years old are being raped." She cited improved awareness of SGBV and the education of men and boys as priorities for reducing threats of violence again women.[20]

Honours

Weah was appointed in March 2018, at a Women Symposium in Morocco, Ambassador and Champion for Women's Football, by the Confederation of African Football.[21]

Weah was appointed a Merck Foundation[22] ''More than a Mother'' Ambassador to Liberia.[23]

References

  1. ↑ Korney, Stephanie (2017-12-30). "Liberia's New First Lady Is Jamaican". Jamaicans.com. Retrieved 2021-09-28.
  2. ↑ "Jamaica Observer Limited". Jamaica Observer. January 4, 2018. Retrieved 2020-03-15.
  3. ↑ "the First Lady of the Republic of Liberia – Clar Marie Weah – Liberian Spot". libspot.com. November 12, 2018. Archived from the original on 2021-02-25. Retrieved 2020-03-15.
  4. ↑ "Amb. Clar Marie Weah, First Lady of the Republic of Liberia". emansion.gov.lr. Archived from the original on 2018-03-11.
  5. ↑ "The Executive Mansion". www.emansion.gov.lr. Retrieved 2020-03-15.
  6. ↑ Tali, Philip Saa (February 7, 2018). "Come Let's meet the First Lady of Liberia: Mrs. Clar Marie Duncan Weah". www.linkedin.com. Retrieved 2020-02-25.
  7. ↑ Enoku, Clement (June 26, 2019). "PHOTOS: Liberian President, George Weah Celebrates 27th Marriage Anniversary With Wife, Clar Weah". GhanaCelebrities.Com. Archived from the original on 2019-06-26. Retrieved 2020-02-25.
  8. ↑ Mark, Gleeson (June 9, 2015). "Weah junior finally gets chance to emulate famous father". Reuters. Retrieved 2020-03-15.
  9. ↑ Ari, Liljenwall (February 17, 2020). "Timothy Weah returns to field for Lille after lengthy injury absence". mlssoccer.com. Archived from the original on 2020-08-10. Retrieved March 15, 2020.
  10. ↑ "Like father, like son: George and Timothy Weah play on same day". en.as.com/. September 12, 2018. Archived from the original on 2020-08-09.
  11. ↑ Executive Mansion Liberia (February 18, 2018). "The Executive Mansion". www.emansion.gov.lr. Archived from the original on 2013-01-17. Retrieved 2020-02-25.
  12. ↑ "The Executive Mansion of Liberia". www.emansion.gov.lr. February 18, 2018. Archived from the original on 2018-03-11. Retrieved 2020-02-24.
  13. ↑ "First Lady Weah Launches Clar Hope Foundation". www.emansion.gov.lr. June 4, 2018. Retrieved 2020-03-15.
  14. ↑ Executive Mansion Liberia (June 4, 2018). "First Lady Weah Launches Clar Hope Foundation". emansion.gov.lr. Retrieved 2020-03-15.
  15. ↑ Brooks, Cholo (March 21, 2019). "LIBERIA: First Lady Weah says Children's Education is a Priority". gnnliberia.com. Archived from the original on 2019-03-23. Retrieved 2020-03-15.
  16. 1 2 "President Weah Promotes Women's Cause at Grand Launch of 'She's You' Movement". reliefweb. 22 June 2019. Retrieved 27 November 2020.
  17. ↑ "First Lady Clar Weah Launches She's You Movement – New Republic Liberia". June 21, 2019. Archived from the original on 2019-06-22. Retrieved 2020-03-15.
  18. ↑ "Liberia's first lady to launch 'she is you' movement". Journal du Cameroun (in French). October 5, 2019. Archived from the original on 2019-05-10. Retrieved 2020-03-15.
  19. ↑ Worzi, Alvin (June 21, 2019). ""We Need to Stop Protecting Rapists in Africa"". Liberian Observer. Archived from the original on 2019-06-22. Retrieved 2020-03-15.
  20. ↑ "First Lady Clar Weah: THERE IS NO EXCUSE FOR RAPE!". Republic of Liberia: Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection. 8 September 2020. Retrieved 27 November 2020.
  21. ↑ Steven Lavon (March 6, 2018). "CAF: la femme de George Weah nommée ambassadrice du football féminin". Africa Top Sports (in French). Archived from the original on 2020-01-11. Retrieved 2020-03-15.
  22. ↑ "Search Page". www.merck-foundation.com. Archived from the original on 2020-03-19. Retrieved 2020-03-19.
  23. ↑ "Dr. Rasha Kelej To Launch Merck Foundation In Liberia". PUBLIC AGENDA NEWS. February 24, 2020. Archived from the original on 2020-02-25. Retrieved 2020-03-15.
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