Abla Gadegbeku Williams - awla internation

Cllr Abla Gadegbeku Williams

Country Representative, AWLA Liberia

Country Representative,  AWLA Liberia 

Practice Areas

  • Business Law
  • Criminal Law
  • Employment Law
  • Gov & Administrative Law
  • Securities Law

Biography

Though a Feminist and a mother of three, Abla Gadegbeku Williams is the Legal Advisor on Special Projects for the Minister of Health Republic of Liberia.

Education & other engagements

She, is a female lawyer, also trained police officer, a Harvard trained female security expert and the first woman, after 21 men, to head the Bureau of Immigration and Naturalization, now Liberia Immigration Service; breaking the barrier of an (all boys Club) all – male security sector institution in Liberia. Prior to this, she served as Executive Director of the Liberian Refugee, Repatriation, Resettlement, Commission (LRRRC) an institution responsible for the international protection of refugees, returnees, asylum seekers, internally displaced persons (IDPs) and persons of concern. She is a member of the Association of Female Lawyers of Liberia (AFELL), the Liberia National Bar Association, a Rotarian, and several civil society organizations. She is a Point man Leadership Institute Instructor, a trained Mediator from the Folke Bernadotte Academy, Sweden. 

Results

She won the Golden Image Award from the Liberia Crusaders for Peace in Liberia in 2012. She participated in the Accra Peace Accord that led to the current peace that Liberia enjoys today. She has always worn two hats, a public servant for more than 20 years as well as worked in the private sector.
Women empowerment, women rights top her agenda. She is an advocate for the rights of women, children and the indigent. She initiated programs at the Bureau of Immigration to help female officers to assert themselves, exposed them to a lot of training on gender issues and promoted deserving women within the Bureau ensuring inclusive participation of women to serve and lead in the Security Sector. She believes that with awareness sensitization and training more women can be empowered. She is humble, believes in character leadership and responds to challenges by negotiations and persuasion.