As Liberia looks ahead to the 2029 elections, women leaders are beginning their journey long before campaign season. 41 women aspirants from Montserrado, Margibi, and Grand Bassa Counties gathered in Monrovia on August 19 for the first round of a three-day Political Leadership and Candidate Preparedness Training. The training forms part of a nationwide initiative that is planned to reach approximately 240 women aspirants across all 15 counties, helping to strengthen the pipeline of women leaders ahead of the 2029 elections. This initiative is implemented under the Liberia Electoral Support Project (LESP) by UNDP in collaboration with UN Women and Sister Aid Liberia. The LESP is managed by UNDP and implemented in partnership with UN Women and the Netherlands Institute for Multiparty Democracy, with support from the European Union, Ireland and Sweden.For Liberia, where women currently occupy only 11 of the 103 seats in the National Legislature, the training represents more than a capacity-building exercise, but an investment in developing a pool of women leaders who are equipped to shape policies, represent their communities, and strengthen inclusive democratic governance.Opening the training, UN Women Liberia Deputy Country Representative, Dr. Yemi Falayajo reminded participants that women’s participation in politics is a matter of equal rights and a prerequisite for effective governance. “The country will not move forward as it should without the effective participation of women in decision-making. Men and women bring different perspectives, and all those perspectives are needed in governance and leadership”. Seeing Opportunities Beyond BarriersThe UNDP Electoral Advisor Mr. Robert Irish said preparing women for political leadership also means helping them to recognize the strengths they already possess. Drawing on findings from the 2023 General Elections, he noted that women already represent a powerful electoral force. “More women voted than men during the last election,” he said, pointing to women voters as an important constituency capable of influencing electoral outcomes.The training responds directly to lessons that emerged from Liberia’s recent electoral processes. Research and aspirant survey conducted through the LESP found that many women interested in contesting elections lacked practical guidance, mentorship, campaign planning skills, and access to political networks. Financing, intimidation, limited visibility, and restricted access to information also remain significant barriers to women’s political participation.Using UN Women’s Political Leadership and Candidate Training (PLCT) methodology, the three-day programme combines theory with practical learning. Through the training, aspiring women political contestants are expected to develop skills in transformative leadership, constituency analysis, political party engagement, public speaking, political messaging, voter outreach, fundraising, campaign planning, budgeting, team building, and prevention of Violence Against Women in Elections and Politics.For many participants including Daintowon Domah Pay-Bayee, the training represents an opportunity to transform political ambition into practical action. Pay-Bayee who aims to contest in Montserrado County District #13, is looking forward to strengthening her understanding of campaign financing and resource mobilization. “I want to learn how to identify both human and financial resources because our political process requires significant investment.”Participants shared common determination to prepare early, lead effectively, and contribute meaningfully to Liberia’s democratic future.The PLCT builds on a broader series of interventions under the LESP, including nationwide mapping of women aspirants, a national networking forum, and consultations that identified leadership development, communication, fundraising, and mentorship as priority needs for women preparing for future elections.By delivering this training across Liberia, the programme seeks to strengthen women’s leadership capacity while building lasting peer networks and mentorship opportunities that can support women well beyond the 2029 elections.

More than two decades after the end of Liberia's civil wars, efforts to hold perpetrators of mass atrocities accountable are gathering pace with the government moving to establish long-delayed war crimes and economic crimes courts.Liberia, Africa's first independent state, endured 14 years of civil conflict between 1989 and 2003. More than 250,000 people were killed, mostly civilians, and the rule of law collapsed across large parts of the country.A Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) was established in 2005 under the Accra Comprehensive Peace Agreement. Its final report, released in December 2009, issued over 200 recommendations, including the creation of an Extraordinary Criminal Court (ECC) for Liberia to prosecute those bearing the greatest responsibility for gross human rights violations, serious breaches of international humanitarian law, and corruption-related offences committed during the civil crises.That recommendation went unimplemented for 15 years.Momentum returned in 2024, when the President signed Executive Order 131, creating the Office for the Establishment of the War and Economic Crimes Court for Liberia (OWECC-L). This office was tasked with advising on a hybrid judicial model for the future War and Economic Crimes Court (WECC), drawing on other internationally established jurisdictions, and with drafting legislation for a National Anti-Corruption Court (NACC) to try corruption offences linked to the wars. President Boakai renewed the office's mandate for a further year on 30 April 2025, through Executive Order 148, and again for a final one-year term ending on 30 April 2027, through Executive Order 164.The UN's human rights footprint in the country has also evolved. When the UN Mission in Liberia's mandate ended in 2018, UN Human Rights' presence shifted from a mission-based component to a Country Office, tasked with building the capacity of national institutions, civil society, and individuals to promote and protect human rights. Its recent work has centred around transitional justice, anti-corruption and human rights, and the rights of workers in the informal economy.Closing Liberia’s corruption accountability gapAs part of the UN Human Rights’ efforts to support the national transitional justice process, the Office led in April 2026 a series of engagements to strengthen justice actors’ capacity to investigate and prosecute economic crimes through human rights-based, victim-centred approaches and improve cooperation to advance accountability. Liberia scored 28 out of 100 in Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index and ranked 136th out of 182 countries, while Afrobarometer’s 2024 survey found that more than half of respondents viewed corruption as widespread across key public institutions.At a training on corruption investigation and prosecution in Monrovia last April, Pradeep Wagle, Chief of the Economic, Social and Cultural Rights Section at UN Human Rights said, “These are not abstract numbers. They are the measurements of stolen opportunity Corruption systematically erodes the government's capacity to uphold and advance all human rights... It is the force that weakens institutions, and compromises the rule of law, often leading to injustice and impunity.”Wagle acknowledged Liberia’s efforts to strengthen its legal and institutional framework for combating corruption. He pointed out, however, that further action is needed to ensure that anti-corruption institutions are effective, independent and adequately resourced.“Corruption is not a victimless white-collar crime; it is a direct assault on the right to life and a primary barrier to closing the development gap that keeps nations in a cycle of dependency.“Pradeep Wagle, Chief of the Economic, Social and Cultural Rights Section at UN Human RightsFor Wagle, one of the biggest challenges was turning reports of corruption into meaningful accountability. He pointed to figures from the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission showing that, of the 252 corruption cases reported between 2023 and 2024, only 52 contained enough information to be investigated further. The figures, he said, highlight a wider challenge: without reliable data, strong evidence and the necessary technical capacity, holding those responsible to account remains difficult.“Strengthening our institutional capacity and our data management systems is not just a technical upgrade; it is a human rights imperative,” he said. “When we improve coordination across agencies and ensure that investigative findings translate into effective prosecution, we reinforce public trust and support the realization of the rights of every citizen.”At a high-level dialogue on anti-corruption organized that same month by UN Human Rights, Wagle urged Senate and House representatives, the Ministers of Justice, Labour, Gender, and other State officials to place victims at the centre of the efforts to strengthen the national judicial response to corruption, including to address the legacy of the war.“This is just not a cognitive shift. It is the recognition that the whole society is affected by corruption. It is therefore a shift of our focus from the perpetrator’s enrichment to the survivor’s deprivation,” he said, while presenting the key principles of a human rights-based approach to tackling corruption.The human rights-based approach is not a theoretical preference or just a reference to a treaty provision, he emphasized - it is a legal obligation for the States to make use of the maximum available resources, including through the design and implementation of the macroeconomic and fiscal policies, for the progressive realization of economic, social, and cultural rights.“As government or duty bearers we ensure that anti-corruption measures are not just about punishment but about seeking justice, redress, and the restoration of public services.”UN Human Rights’ recommendations included a dedicated anti-corruption court that could close Liberia’s corruption accountability gap, but to be paired with clearer legal definitions of corruption offences, aligned with the UN Convention Against Corruption.These definitions should neither be so narrow they leave prosecutors unable to meet evidentiary thresholds, nor so broad they invite due-process violations and politically motivated cases. Four further reforms are needed to translate political commitment into results. Courts need time-bound rules for pre-trial proceedings and discovery, and updated procedures for handling digital evidence, to prevent cases from being stalled indefinitely.Witness protection laws must move from legislative promise to operational reality, backed by independent infrastructure for physical security, identity concealment, and immunity frameworks — without which insiders will stay silent and cases will stay unbuilt. Finally, audit findings from the National Audit Office need a mandatory, real-time referral system to prosecutorial authorities, so that flagged irregularities automatically trigger investigation rather than languishing as unactioned reports.In a notable development following these activities, on 20 May 2026, the President of Liberia transmitted draft statutes prepared by OWECC-L for the establishment of the WECC and the NACC to the Legislature. In his transmission note, the President said the legislation would strengthen the rule of law, address historical injustices and economic crimes, and bring Liberia's legal framework in line with international standards. UN Human Rights reviewed the drafts and recommended amendments to strengthen their alignment with international human rights norms.Strengthening rights for Liberia's informal workersAs part of its growing engagement in support of economic, social and cultural rights in Liberia, UN Human Rights is also intensifying efforts to strengthen the rights of workers in the informal economy, the country’s largest source of employment. Engaging 68 percent of the workforce and contributing significantly to the national GDP, the informal sector spans market trading, transport, domestic work, small-scale farming, and artisanal production.Despite their essential role and contributions, informal workers face precarious working conditions, including unsafe and unhealthy workplaces and low and irregular income, as well as limited labour and social protection in law and in practice. Women, youth and children are particularly marginalized: they are also excluded from decision-making that affects their employment and working conditions.“These workers sustain families, communities, and economies. And yet — too often — their work remains invisible, undervalued, and unprotected.“Pradeep Wagle, Chief of the Economic, Social and Cultural Rights Section at UN Human Rights“… And when their rights are violated, they often have nowhere to turn. No effective complaint mechanisms. No access to remedies. No justice. This is not just a labour issue. It is a human rights issue,” he added.To promote and protect their rights, the Office last year conducted an analysis of Liberia’s legal and policy framework, along with an assessment of workplace conditions of informal workers in Grand Cape Mount County. Both studies emphasized that intensified efforts are needed by the government, with support from international partners, to formalize informal work through business registration, microfinance access, skills development, and simplified taxation.Liberia’s ratification of multiple human rights treaties and ILO conventions further reflects a strong normative commitment to protecting all workers. Nonetheless, the analysis and assessment identified significant protection gaps in law and in practice, and insufficient implementation of Liberia’s obligations under the international human rights treaties and labour conventions to which it is a party.“Workers need stronger access to accountability mechanisms. They need to know their rights. They need to be able to claim them and institutions must be equipped — and willing — to respond,” Wagle said.Wagle was speaking at an enhanced training to promote access to justice for workers in the informal economy, organized by UN Human Rights in April in Monrovia. The training was held as part of the implementation of the recommendations arising from the National Policy Dialogue on the rights of workers in the informal economy organized in 2025 by UN Human Rights.Informal economy workers and stakeholders called for reforms to strengthen legal protections, extend social protection, improve workplace safety and health, advance gender equality, and create affordable pathways to formalization. These measures would help safeguard livelihoods, promote decent work, reduce poverty, and support Liberia’s progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).In July 2026, the Ministry of Labour officially registered the Federation of Informal Sector Workers of Liberia (FISWOL) as a trade union, under Section 34.2(A) of the Executive Law and Chapter 36.1(III B(II)) of the Decent Work Act of 2015. The registration marks a significant milestone in strengthening the collective representation and protection of workers in Liberia's informal economy. It also represents the implementation of another key recommendation emerging from the 2025 National Policy Dialogue on the rights of workers in the informal economy.UN Human Rights’ direct technical assistance, capacity-building, and legal assessment of Liberia's labour laws and policies against international human rights and labour standards contributed to this process. The Office’s support helped strengthen the organization of informal economy workers, informed the development of an advocacy brief, labour law reform, and enhanced their capacity to advocate for improved working conditions and labour protections.FISWOL welcomed UN Human Rights’ support and outlined its commitment to consolidate its organizational structures, expand representation among informal economy workers nationwide, and advocate for greater access to social protection, decent work, and effective labour rights.The Office also played a key role in developing Liberia's first National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights (2024–2028), supporting a multi-stakeholder process to advance labour rights, corporate due diligence, and access to remedy. This work aligns closely with Liberia's national development plan, the ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development, and the UN Cooperation Framework (2026–2030), reinforcing the integration of human rights into governance, economic transformation, and sustainable and lasting peace.

The Government of Liberia, with support from the United Nations system through the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), has launched the development of the country’s first Biodiversity Finance Plan (BFP), marking an important step toward strengthening the financing of biodiversity conservation, climate resilience, and sustainable development. The initiative was officially unveiled during a high-level inception workshop held at the One UN House in Monrovia. The workshop convened more than 40 representatives from government institutions, including the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning (MFDP), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the Forestry Development Authority (FDA), alongside development partners, civil society organizations, academia, and private-sector stakeholders. The gathering reflected a shared commitment to addressing biodiversity finance challenges through partnership, national ownership, and coordinated action. The Biodiversity Finance Plan is being developed under the Global Environment Facility’s Eighth Replenishment Cycle (GEF-8) Biodiversity Finance Initiative (BIOFIN), a global UNDP-led programme that supports countries in identifying financing needs, assessing funding gaps, and developing innovative financial solutions to advance biodiversity conservation and sustainable use. Liberia joined the BIOFIN programme in 2024, becoming part of a global network of countries that have collectively mobilized more than US$1.6 billion for biodiversity conservation since 2012. Opening the workshop, Louis Kuukpen, UNDP Deputy Resident Representative, underscored the central role biodiversity plays in advancing sustainable development.“Liberia’s rich biodiversity provides immense social, environmental, and economic value, yet investments in its protection remain insufficient. BIOFIN offers a proven methodology to assess biodiversity expenditures, identify financing gaps, and develop innovative solutions aligned with Liberia’s national development priorities and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework,” Kuukpen said. He emphasized that biodiversity conservation extends beyond environmental protection and is critical to economic growth, food security, climate resilience, and human well-being. He further called for broad stakeholder engagement, stressing that biodiversity finance is a shared development agenda that requires strong partnerships and collective action. Highlighting the importance of sustainable financing for Liberia’s natural resources, Emmanuel Massaquoi, BIOFIN Project Manager, noted that the country’s forests, wetlands, and coastal ecosystems are central to national prosperity and resilience.“Liberia's forests, wetlands, and coastal ecosystems are the foundation of our economy, food security, and climate resilience. Yet the financial systems meant to protect them are stretched thin. This Biodiversity Finance Plan will help us identify funding gaps and unlock resources from public, private, and international sources to secure our natural heritage for generations to come.” Speaking on behalf of the Minister of Finance and Development Planning, Austin Togbah emphasized the need for innovative and coordinated financing approaches to support Liberia’s biodiversity objectives.“Achieving our biodiversity objectives requires more than sound policies. It demands sustainable, innovative, and well-coordinated financing mechanisms that mobilize public and private resources and deliver measurable environmental, social, and economic returns.” He noted that the Biodiversity Finance Plan presents an opportunity to improve the efficiency of biodiversity expenditures, identify financing gaps, and align investments with national priorities, including Liberia’s National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP), Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), and commitments under the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. The initiative also reinforces efforts to integrate environmental and climate considerations into national planning, budgeting, and public financial management systems. Representatives of the Environmental Protection Agency highlighted the plan’s alignment with Liberia’s international biodiversity commitments, particularly Target 19 of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, which calls for significantly increasing financial resources for biodiversity-related activities. They noted that the Biodiversity Finance Plan will directly support implementation of Liberia’s National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan. Speaking on behalf of the Forestry Development Authority, Blama S. Goll, Technical Manager of the Liberia Forest Licensing Department, stressed the importance of connecting conservation objectives with sustainable financing solutions.“Nature is our most vital asset, yet protecting it faces a critical funding gap. Today, we are not just talking about conservation; we are shaping the economic frameworks that will secure our ecosystems for the future.” He called for practical and actionable solutions capable of unlocking investment for a nature-positive economy and strengthening the link between environmental goals and financial mechanisms. The workshop adopted a participatory approach, combining technical presentations, plenary discussions, and validation exercises to build consensus around the proposed methodology and implementation roadmap. Participants left with a shared understanding of the Biodiversity Finance Plan’s objectives, agreed roles and responsibilities, and a clear pathway for the next phase of implementation. Valued at US$314,000 over three years (2025-2027), the GEF-8 BIOFIN project will assess biodiversity finance needs, identify funding gaps, and develop practical financing solutions that support Liberia’s national biodiversity priorities. The resulting Biodiversity Finance Plan will serve as a strategic roadmap for mobilizing resources, improving financing efficiency, and advancing Liberia’s transition toward a nature-positive and climate-resilient development pathway. Through initiatives such as BIOFIN, the United Nations continues to support Liberia’s efforts to align biodiversity conservation with sustainable economic growth, climate resilience, and long-term national development objectives, ensuring that natural capital remains a foundation for prosperity and well-being for generations to come. 

Across Liberia, young people affected by drug and substance abuse are reclaiming their lives through rehabilitation, psychosocial support, education, and skills development initiatives supported by the Government of Liberia and the United Nations. Through a joint effort aimed at strengthening social cohesion and empowering marginalized youth, many young people are finding renewed hope and opportunities to build productive futures. One of those young people is Shirley*, a 23-year-old survivor of substance addiction whose journey from hardship to aspiration demonstrates the transformative impact of coordinated investments in youth empowerment and recovery. “Drug and substance use kills dreams and steals young people's future away. It disrupts our ability to acquire quality education and contribute to the development of our communities,” says Shirley. Shirley’s struggle began in 2013 when she was only ten years old. For nearly a decade, she battled addiction, survived on the streets, and frequently visited drug-use hotspots to sustain her habit. During that period, she dropped out of school and experienced homelessness. Despite repeated efforts by her family to help her, she found herself unable to break free from addiction without professional support. “Some days, I felt sad by seeing my peers going to school and I am not going to school. So, I tried to stop substance use but I could not stop it on my own. I needed help,” she recalls. A turning point came in 2022 when Shirley attended an awareness session organized by Mother of Light, a rehabilitation organization that supports young people affected by substance abuse. Through the UN Peacebuilding Fund-supported project implemented with support from UNFPA, the organization provides detoxification services, medical treatment, safe shelter, and leadership and life-skills training for at-risk youth. The initiative supports the Government of Liberia’s efforts to rehabilitate and reintegrate vulnerable young people into society. The project forms part of a broader UN-supported approach to addressing the root causes of vulnerability among young people and promoting peace, inclusion, and social cohesion. The programme is supported through the UN Peacebuilding Fund and brings together the expertise of UNFPA, WHO, and UNICEF in partnership with national institutions. After three years in rehabilitation, Shirley graduated from the programme in 2025 and successfully reintegrated into her community. Her experience not only supported her recovery but also inspired her to envision a different future for herself. “Every day I see Grace at the rehab center, I feel like I can be like her… get educated and work to earn my own money to help myself, my family, and my community,” she explains. She also describes the rehabilitation centre as a safe and supportive environment where young women can focus on healing and rebuilding their confidence.“At the Rehab Center, no one takes advantage of you as a young woman, which is important for your physical and mental health, and we are not stigmatized.” Today, Shirley is focused on completing her education and pursuing her long-term ambitions. Having completed her final examinations and sat the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), she is preparing to finish high school while working toward a career that will allow her to contribute to national development. “My immediate plan is to enroll at a teacher's training program to become a primary school teacher, so I can use the earnings from there to fund my college education,” she says. “In the longer term I want to become a journalist to professionally and ethically tell the Liberian people's story.” According to Grace Muenij, UNFPA At-Risk Youth Programme Partner Coordinator, addressing substance abuse requires both rehabilitation and prevention efforts.“Drug and substance abuse is a huge problem hampering the full realization of young people reaching their fullest potential in Liberia. UNFPA’s efforts to support the recovery and rehabilitation of youth affected by drug and substance abuse is reinforced by our efforts to empower youth and communities to prevent drug and substance abuse.” Shirley is now giving back to her community as a volunteer peer educator at Mother of Light, where she shares her experiences with other young people and encourages them to seek support. Through her advocacy, she is helping others understand the dangers of substance abuse while demonstrating that recovery and reintegration are possible. Reflecting on her journey, Shirley hopes society will show greater compassion toward young people experiencing addiction and those working to rebuild their lives.“I pray our society embodies the same degree of kindness and hospitality to every young person battling addiction and those rehabilitated like me.”