GBARNGA, Bong County, Liberia-The National Union of Community Forest Management Body (NUCFMB) has convened its 4th General Assembly meeting (GA) in Gbarnga, Bong County. The GA meeting which runs from December 15-16, 2022, brings together 50 community representatives.
Established in 2015, the NUCFMB is an umbrella organization of community forest management bodies that seeks to promote accountability and transparency and enhance citizens’ participation in community forest matters.
At the GA, which is an annual event, community forest representatives share information and report back to their members on the operations and programs of the National Secretariat.
This year’s GA focuses on review and approval of Memorandum Of Understanding (MOU) between the National Union and CFMBs, presentation of bylaws and constitution, presentation of community forest reports, challenges and achievements in community forest and the election of community forest officials.
The 2022 GA is sponsored by ClientEarth, Norwegian Agency for Development Corporation (NORAD) and Heritage Partners & Associates (HPA). Making remarks at the opening of the meeting, NUCFMB Lead Facilitator, Bonathan Walaka said the GA is an annual constitutional requirement for the National Union. He noted that the event aims to strengthen information sharing on Community Forest Management Agreement, in terms of commercial and conservation forestry.
ClientEarth Consortium’s Coordinator Julie Wiah encouraged electorates to consider women participation in the election process. She expressed dissatisfaction on the limited number of women currently in the leadership of the community forest. “It is disheartening to see only two women among 50 men in this room. You have to muster the courage to encourage women’s participation in the pending election so as to reflect gender balance leadership at the level of the community forest,” said Julie Wiah.
The introduction of community forestry in Liberia was to give community the rights to manage and control their forests and its resources for the benefit of the community members. Such power is contained in the 2009 Community Rights Law with regards to forest land.