From Awareness to Aspiration: Expanding Women’s Participation in Liberia’s Security Sector

In July and August, the Ministry of National Defense (MOD) and the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL), with support from the Elsie Initiative Fund through UN Women, embarked on a nationwide awareness campaign across Liberia to promote women’s participation in the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) Agenda and raise awareness of UN Security Council Resolution 1325.

Implemented under the Elsie Initiative Fund-supported project, “Strengthening Armed Forces of Liberia’s Women Active Participation in Peace and Security through Deployment to Peacekeeping Missions,” the campaign reached communities across all 15 counties. It sought to challenge gender stereotypes about women’s roles in the security sector and increase awareness of opportunities for women to join Liberia’s security institutions and contribute to international peacekeeping missions.

Breaking Barriers to Participation

Women currently account for approximately 7.5 percent of AFL military personnel, including 11.5 percent of officers and 7.1 percent of enlisted personnel. While this represents progress from 2017, when women comprised just 3 percent of AFL personnel, progress has been slow.

The 2022 Measuring Opportunities for Women in Peace Operations (MOWIP) assessment identified gender stereotypes, negative perceptions of military service, limited awareness of career opportunities, and insufficient family and community support among the barriers affecting women’s participation.

Taking the Message to Communities

The campaign was conducted in two phases, reaching Bomi, Grand Cape Mount, Bong, Lofa, Gbarpolu, Nimba, Grand Gedeh, River Gee, Maryland, Grand Kru, Sinoe, Rivercess, Grand Bassa, Margibi and Montserrado counties.

Through radio interviews, town hall meetings, school visits, market outreach and community engagements, the team brought together local authorities, women and youth organizations, religious and community leaders, schools, the media and community members. Discussions focused on UN Security Council Resolution 1325 and its four pillars—Participation, Protection, Prevention, and Relief and Recovery.

The campaign also adapted its approach to local realities. In Barclayville, Grand Kru County, outreach teams engaged women directly at their market stalls, allowing them to participate without leaving their businesses. In Greenville, Sinoe County, the team combined an interactive session with door-to-door outreach, reaching young women and men in the market and surrounding communities.

From Awareness to Aspiration

In Greenville, three young women approached the team to learn more about opportunities within the AFL. Among them was Princess M. Jiffan, a high school graduate, affectionately known as “General” among her peers because of her confidence, physique and bravery.

Princess shared her long-standing ambition:

“It has always been my dream to join the army, and God has made it possible for you people to come with this awareness so I can get all the information I need to prepare for the next recruitment.”

After learning more about AFL career opportunities, Princess expressed interest in learning mechanics and aspired to one day become a General.

Sergeant Sukie Newton encouraged the young women to see themselves not only as people who can be protected, but also as future protectors. She urged them to remain focused, prepare adequately, and develop the discipline and commitment required for military service.

The campaign demonstrated that advancing women’s participation in peace and security requires more than institutional commitments. Sustained community engagement is essential to challenging stereotypes, expanding awareness and helping young women see themselves as future leaders, peacebuilders and members of Liberia’s security and peacekeeping workforce.

The awareness campaign represents the first phase of a broader effort by the Ministry of National Defense (MOD), the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL), and UN Women under the Elsie Initiative Fund-supported project to increase women's participation in Liberia's security sector and peacekeeping operations. Following the campaign, the project will support targeted follow-up interventions, including mentoring and engagement sessions for interested young women, continued dissemination of recruitment information, strengthening gender-responsive recruitment processes, and the operationalization of a recruitment tracking system to monitor women's progression through different stages of the enlistment process.