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Country Indexes
outcome XM-DAC-41146-LBR_D_1.2
By 2024, people in Liberia especially the vulnerable and disadvantaged, benefit from strengthened institutions that are more effective, accountable, transparent, inclusive and gender-responsive in the delivery of essential services at the national and sub-national levels.
In 2024, UN Women supported transformative efforts in Liberia to advance gender equality, inclusive governance, and women’s leadership. Through partnerships with national and local institutions, civil society, and media organizations, targeted initiatives addressed systemic barriers to women’s participation in decision-making processes and governance structures. This report outlines key outcomes achieved in institutional and behavioral changes across electoral processes, local governance, peacebuilding, and media engagement. The National Elections Commission (NEC), with support from UN Women, finalized and launched its Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) Policy in July 2024. This policy sets a bold target of 50% inclusivity in electoral processes and decision-making roles for women and persons with disabilities. Developed through a participatory process that included consultations with persons with disabilities, the GESI Policy reflects the principle of leaving no one behind. Two sensitization workshops engaged 61 participants (38 women, 23 men), including NEC staff and civil society representatives, fostering awareness and building commitment to implementing the policy. These efforts have strengthened NEC’s capacity to integrate diversity, equity, and inclusion in electoral management. UN Women further collaborated with the Liberian Legislature to advance gender-responsive governance. In June 2024, the Legislative Reform Forum emphasized gender responsive lawmaking, citizen participation, and the importance of gender equality, including moving from a 30% gender quota to full parity. UN Women also supported the Women’s Legislative Caucus in developing a strategic plan (2025- 2029) for gender-responsive legislation and oversight. These efforts are part of a broader initiative to integrate gender equality into legislative processes, ensuring the inclusion of women’s voices and promoting equitable representation across Liberia’s governance structures. Promoting inclusive governance and development planning processes in Liberia are gender-responsive and socially inclusive, UN Women collaborated with Liberia's Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA), Ministry of Finance and Development Planning (MFDP), and Ministry of Gender, Children, and Social Protection (MGCSP) to integrate gender and social development into national and county planning processes. To facilitate gender-responsive consultations for the National Development Plan (NDP) and County Development Agendas (CDAs), UN Women developed a Country Consultation Guide. Despite these efforts, initial consultations revealed that women's participation averaged only 24%, with 551 women among 2,217 participants across 15 counties. To address this gap, UN Women introduced a Gender and Inclusion Checklist to assist stakeholders in reviewing draft CDAs. Capacity-building training on utilizing this checklist and applying a gender marker was provided to partners, including the Center for Transparency and Accountability in Liberia (CENTAL), the Women NGO Secretariat of Liberia (WONGOSOL), MIA, MFDP, and MGCSP. Additionally, through UN Women's advocacy with MIA and MFDP, 11 additional participants per county, totaling 165 participants, representing various women's rights organizations, youth groups, and persons with disabilities, were included to strengthen the focus on Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) in the CDAs. As a result, validation consultations for the CDAs saw improved representation, with women comprising 34% of participants (up from 24%), youth representing 19%, and persons with disabilities representing 6%, aligning with the Local Government Act's inclusivity requirements. To further support their participation, capacity-building training on the use of the Gender and Inclusion Checklist was provided for 84 participants drawn from 9 counties. Following the validation of the CDAs, six pilot counties (Bong, Lofa, Bomi, Gbarpolu, Grand Bassa, and Nimba) launched County Development Planning Units (DPUs) in December 2024, supported by UN Women through the United Nations Peacebuilding Fund. A five-day workshop held from December 9–13, 2024, in Bopolu City and Gbarnga, strengthened technical capacities in gender-responsive budgeting, planning, and action plan development. The workshop engaged 58 participants (18 women, 40 men), who actively contributed to drafting gender action plans. Women's participation reached 33% in Gbarpolu and 40% in Bong. Participants committed to applying their new skills to ensure inclusive governance and equitable development in their respective counties. Women's initiatives significantly advanced women's leadership and political participation in Liberia. Through the "Transformative Leadership and Community Engagement for Women’s Participation in Politics and Peacebuilding (Phase III)" project, 320 women across Gbarpolu, Nimba, Bomi, Lofa, Grand Bassa, and Grand Gedeh counties received training. This included 248 women trained in transformative leadership, advocacy, and public engagement, and 72 women who benefited from peace mediation and conflict resolution training. These capacity-building efforts equipped women with the skills and confidence to assume leadership roles and actively engage in local peacebuilding efforts. Institutional and community-level changes have been achieved through advocacy led by Peace Huts and women’s rights organizations. Across six counties, 32 advocacy initiatives contributed to the appointment of 38 women to leadership roles, including town chiefs and district commissioners. Local authorities and male allies actively supported these efforts, challenging traditional norms and promoting gender-responsive governance. These collaborations have strengthened decision-making frameworks and advanced equitable governance systems that prioritize inclusive participation. Media played a critical role in advancing gender equality and women’s leadership. UN Women, in partnership with Internews and the Female Journalist Association of Liberia (FeJAL), conducted three capacity-building trainings in 2024, engaging 68 journalists (34 women, 34 men) from 20 media institutions. These sessions, held in Monrovia and Buchanan, focused on gender-responsive reporting, equipping journalists to challenge stereotypes and amplify women’s voices. 10 radio talk shows aired across six counties, providing platforms for discussions on barriers to women’s political participation and highlighting the need for equitable representation. These efforts reinforced media’s role in promoting inclusive narratives and supporting women’s leadership.
outcome XM-DAC-41146-LBR_D_1.3
By 2024, the UN system in Liberia coherently and systematically contributes to progress on gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls
In 2024, the United Nations system in Liberia demonstrated a cohesive and systematic approach to advancing gender equality and empowering women and girls through integrated programming, coordinated advocacy, and strategic partnerships. The UNCT in Liberia has achieved or is on track to achieve all gender equality and the empowerment of women results as planned in the UNSDCF outcomes in line with SDG priorities including SDG 5, as found in the 2024 UNCT-SWAP Progress Report. The Gender Theme Group (GTG) successfully coordinated impactful events during the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence (GBV) campaign, such as the Male Engagement Conference and the Orange Community Festival. These events significantly raised awareness and promoted active engagement in combating GBV. The GTG organized the Women Entrepreneurs Marketplace Event on March 30, 2024, at Invincible Sports Park to celebrate International Women’s Day. This event highlighted women’s economic empowerment and health awareness, contributing to increased visibility and support for women entrepreneurs. The UN in Liberia made significant contributions to the Liberia National Development Plan by supporting the comprehensive Gender Analysis Review under the guidance of UN Women. This review provided critical insights and recommendations for integrating gender perspectives into national policies and programs. The UNCT, through the GTG, played a pivotal role in the development of key documents that support gender equality and women’s empowerment. These documents serve as essential tools for policy advocacy and program implementation. The UNCT, through the GTG, also played a pivotal role in the development of key documents, including: The End Evaluation of the National Gender Policy – Ongoing The Beijing +30 Liberia Report The CEDAW Report (9th & 10th) Discriminatory Laws Review - Ongoing
outcome XM-DAC-41146-LBR_D_2.2
By 2024, Liberia has sustained, diversified and inclusive economic growth driven by investments in agriculture, food security and job creation and is resilient to climate change and natural disasters.
A total of 1,137 jobs have been created, with UN Women Liberia’s support, contributing to economic growth and income security in the country. As of September 2024, women have generated over LRD$ 52,501,476.00 (approximately US$ 279,932.29) in revenue through the UN Women-supported "Buy from Women" (BFW) digital platform . Created in partnership with Orange, in 2024 the platform was enhanced, resulting in the training of over 1,000 rural women farmers across 17 cooperatives on the platform and business/financial skills, contributing to the above results. 3,619 women benefited from training or equipment since 2022, with 177 new women registering on the BFW platform in 2024. A comprehensive Digital Resource Hub provides ongoing access to training and resources, supporting continuous learning and development for women. New employment opportunities for women in the non-traditional renewable energy sector have fostered economic empowerment and a more inclusive green economy in Liberia. Women from 17 women-led farming cooperatives have boosted their businesses’ productivity, increased time savings, and achieved grater economic independence in the green economy after accessing clean energy tools for domestic and productive uses, such as solar-powered equipment (Orange energy kits, mills, dryers) and eco-stoves, provided by UN Women. The UN Women "Buy from Women Champions" initiative has contributed to this result by creating green jobs for rural women and youth by training them to become “Orange Energy” agents. To achieve this progress, UN Women has partnered with the National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA), and 30 NDMA staff and partners have completed UN Women's GHA training, gaining skills in gender-responsive disaster data collection. UN Women worked with the NDMA to conduct a gender and institutional assessment whose findings will guide support efforts to enhance NDMA's disaster response capabilities. UN Women also played a central role in integrating gender into the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)’s new Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) that will be developed in 2025, participating in a stocktaking exercise with UNDP.
outcome XM-DAC-41146-LBR_D_3.2
By 2024, the most vulnerable and excluded groups have improved quality of life with rights-based, gender sensitive ,inclusive, equitable access and utilization of essential social services in an environment free of discrimination and violence including in humanitarian situations.
In 2024, Liberia marked a significant milestone in advancing its national development priorities by intensifying efforts to combat violence against women and girls, with a strong focus on eradicating Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). Five (5) counties—Grand Cape Mount, Bong, Nimba, Montserrado, and Lofa—took a historic step by officially declaring an end to FGM practices within their jurisdictions. This progress has directly impacted the lives of over 800 former traditional FGM practitioners, who are now benefiting from alternative economic livelihood programs. Supported by the European Union, the United Nations, and the Government of Liberia under the Spotlight Initiative, these programs include climate-smart agriculture, business development, and vocational training, providing sustainable alternatives to harmful practices. To build on this transformative momentum, UN Women handed over four (4) vocational and heritage centers to the Government of Liberia. These centers are serving as hubs for economic empowerment, cultural exchange, and skill development, fostering sustainable livelihoods for former practitioners and strengthening social cohesion within communities. Through these targeted initiatives, coupled with community engagement and sustained advocacy, UN Women has played a pivotal role in driving Liberia’s progress toward eliminating harmful practices and achieving gender equality. For more information, please see: https://liberia.un.org/en/260782-significant-progress-fight-against-female-genital-mutilation-liberia https://africa.unwomen.org/en/stories/press-release/2024/02/liberia-joins-global-community-to-commemorate-the-international-day-of-zero-tolerance-for-female-genital-mutilation-fgm https://unsdg.un.org/latest/stories/liberias-women-abandon-female-genital-mutilation-embrace-better-livelihoods
outcome XM-DAC-41146-LBR_D_4.2
By 2024, women, girls, men and boys in Liberia experience more sustained peace, inclusive and sustainable growth and development through strengthened formal and informal institutions providing access to effective and equitable justice and security services; promoting and protecting human rights; and strengthening social cohesion and reconciliation.
In 2024, women, girls, men, and boys in Liberia experienced more sustained peace, inclusive and sustainable growth, and development. Women and girls in Liberia have become more visible and increasingly included in decision-making processes, including peacebuilding initiatives, thanks to their enhanced knowledge and capacities, thereby contributing to this outcome. Examples include the 2024 appointments of women in the prominent roles of Liberia National Police (LNP) spokesperson and the Minister of National Defence. Women have taken up key leadership roles in strategic land dispute resolution structures, such as the Community Land Management and Development Committees and Multi-stakeholder Platforms. Through these structures, supported by UN Women, women and girls are actively participating in all decision-making processes regarding land ownership and use. Furthermore, the security and justice sectors have continued to mainstream gender in their operations. Gender and social inclusion units have been established in the Ministry of Justice, Bureau of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL), Liberia National Police, and Liberia National Fire and Rescue Service, with gender policies and implementation plans developed. In 2025, the AFL will receive funding from the Elsie Initiative Fund, with the aim to increase the number of female uniformed personnel, including in command positions, through national recruitment exercises targeting young women on secondary and tertiary school campuses. The proposal also includes plans for nationwide awareness campaigns to challenge societal biases about women in the military and promote military careers as viable and rewarding options for women. The project further focuses on strengthening the AFL’s Gender and Social Inclusion Department to address issues such as sexual harassment and exploitation and to revise key policies related to recruitment, retention, whistleblowing, sexual abuse, and harassment.Showing 1 - 5 of 10