Africa-Press – Liberia. Liberia, in partnership with India, Brazil, South Africa, and UN Women, has launched a $1 million initiative aimed at strengthening women’s leadership and promoting gender-responsive governance. The launch took place Tuesday at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Conference Room in Monrovia.
The project, titled “Women Legislators in Liberia: Promoting Voice, Leadership, and Gender-Responsive Governance for Sustainable Development (2025–2027),” is funded by the India-Brazil-South Africa (IBSA) Fund and coordinated by the United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation. It will be implemented over 18 months by UN Women Liberia in partnership with the Women’s Legislative Caucus of Liberia (WLCL).
Speaking at the ceremony, UN Women Representative to Liberia, Comfort Lamptey, praised the Women’s Legislative Caucus for its continued advocacy and commitment to advancing gender equality. She stated that the initiative will not only strengthen the Caucus but also extend its reach to communities, helping to ensure that legislative work results in inclusive laws, policies, and budgets.
Senior government officials, members of the diplomatic corps, UN representatives, and civil society actors attended the launch. Among the dignitaries were Liberia’s Ministers of Foreign Affairs; Finance and Development Planning; and Gender, Children and Social Protection. Also present were ambassadors from India, Brazil, South Africa, Sweden, Ireland, China, and Cuba.
India’s Ambassador to Liberia, H.E. Manoj Bihare Verma, reiterated India’s commitment to women’s empowerment in Liberia, referencing past support such as the deployment of the first all-female UN peacekeeping unit. He described the IBSA-funded project as a demonstration of South-South cooperation and said, “The future of Liberia is inseparable from the progress of its women.”
Liberia’s Gender Minister, Hon. Gebeme Horace-Kollie, expressed concern over the low representation of women in the legislature, which currently stands at just 11 percent. She described the project as “a beacon of hope” and affirmed the Ministry’s full support to ensure effective implementation and results.
Diplomats from China, Sweden, and South Africa also welcomed the project and encouraged Liberia to use the opportunity to advance women’s political inclusion.
The project will be implemented in eight counties—Bong, Gbarpolu, Grand Cape Mount, Grand Bassa, Grand Gedeh, Lofa, Margibi, and Montserrado—while also including national-level initiatives. Its key components include strengthening the Women’s Legislative Caucus, supporting gender-responsive legislation and budgeting, and promoting community-level empowerment through adult literacy, digital and financial skills training, entrepreneurship, and agricultural value chain development.
Additional activities will include collaboration with national institutions such as the National Elections Commission and Law Reform Commission, the launch of a legislative internship program for young women, and South-South learning exchanges with partners in India, Brazil, and South Africa.
Senator Dabah Varpilah, speaking on behalf of the Women’s Legislative Caucus, highlighted the multi-year effort that led to the project’s launch. She cited key milestones, including advocacy at the UN Commission on the Status of Women and technical support from UN Women that helped secure IBSA funding.
With women in Liberia continuing to face structural barriers, including high campaign costs and persistent social norms, the project is expected to play a key role in fostering inclusive and accountable governance.
UN Women’s Comfort Lamptey concluded the event by stating, “The true measure of success will not be today’s signing, but what Liberian women can point to in the years ahead as the direct results of greater participation, stronger protections, and more opportunities for empowerment.”
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