Initiative Supported By IBSA Funding
By: Alfred Kollie, alfredkolliejr92@gmail.com
Monrovia, Liberia, Sept. 10, 2025–In a groundbreaking move to strengthen women’s political leadership and drive inclusive governance, the Women’s Legislative Caucus of Liberia (WLCL), in partnership with UN Women and the India, Brazil, South Africa (IBSA) Fund, has launched a $1 million initiative aimed at transforming gender equality in Liberia’s political landscape.
Titled “Women Legislators in Liberia, Promoting Voice, Leadership, and Gender-Responsive Governance,” the initiative will be implemented nationwide and in eight focus counties Bong, Gbarpolu, Grand Cape Mount, Grand Bassa, Grand Gedeh, Lofa, Margibi, and Montserrado between 2025 and 2027.
Funded through the IBSA Fund and coordinated by the UN Office for South-South Cooperation, the initiative will be implemented by UN Women Liberia, with the WLCL as the local partner.
Background
The project was conceived following the induction of Liberia’s 55th Legislature, with WLCL Chairperson, Representative Ellen Arthur Wreh, leading efforts to re-engage development partners and revitalize the Caucus’s strategic priorities.
According to her a key outcome was a roadmap crafted during a two-day retreat, followed by a high-level delegation to the 2024 UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW68) in New York, where meetings with key diplomatic missions, including India’s Permanent Mission to the UN, paved the way for this historic funding.
“This project is a milestone in our journey to ensure women’s voices are heard at every level of decision-making,” said Hon. Wreh. “With strong partnerships and the support of our communities, we can reshape Liberia’s democratic future.”
Despite incremental progress, women in Liberia continue to face political marginalization, representing only about 11% of the Legislature.
Challenges include restrictive social norms, political gatekeeping, limited resources, and safety concerns.
Project focus
To address these, the project will focus on three core pillars: Strengthening Legislative Capacity, Promoting Legal and Policy Reform and Empowering Women at the Community Level.
Central to the initiative is South-South cooperation, with structured peer learning and exchange visits involving legislators from India, Brazil, South Africa, and other Global South nations.
This model ensures that Liberia not only benefits from global best practices but also contributes its own experiences to a broader network of inclusive governance.
The project will also feature a nationwide media and public outreach campaign to shift perceptions about women’s leadership.
UN Women hails South-South solidarity
For her part, UN Women Liberia Country Representative, Comfort Lamptey described the initiative as a “powerful example of South-South solidarity” and praised the WLCL’s consistent advocacy for gender equity.
“This project is not an end, but a tool for transformation,” said Lamptey. “It must translate into stronger laws, better budgets, and improved outcomes for Liberian women and girls.”
UN Women reiterated its commitment to working with the Caucus, the Legislature, and national partners such as the Ministry of Gender, the National Elections Commission, civil society organizations, and the media to drive gender equality and inclusive governance.
“The true measure of success will not be today’s signing,” Lamptey concluded. “It will be the tangible results we see in the years to come: more women in leadership, stronger protections from violence, and greater economic opportunity for Liberian women.”
She emphasized that the success of the initiative will be measured not just by its activities but by lasting change: increased representation, safer spaces, and tangible economic opportunities for women.
In remarks Liberia’s Foreign Affairs Minister Sara Nyanti described the initiative as more than a formal agreement.
She maintained that tt is a powerful demonstration of our collective commitment to strengthening women’s leadership observing that Liberia’s progress is intrinsically linked to women’s equal opportunities to lead and shape national policies.”
Nyanti praised the caucus, the IBSA Fund, and UN Women for 18 months of collaboration, calling the project “a strong expression of solidarity and shared responsibility for advancing inclusive governance in Liberia.
India’s Ambassador to Liberia, H.E. Manoj Bihari Verma, emphasized the importance of the project as a symbol of solidarity, partnership, and shared aspirations between the two democracies.
“India and Liberia enjoy warm and longstanding relations, rooted in common values of democracy, peace, and mutual respect,” Ambassador Verma said. “It is an honour to be part of this important initiative that places women at the center of sustainable development.”
The project, which is supported by a US$1 million grant from the IBSA Fund—a South-South cooperation mechanism jointly managed by India, Brazil, and South Africa—aims to strengthen the leadership capacity of women legislators in Liberia and promote gender-responsive governance.
Highlighting Liberia’s rising international stature, Ambassador Verma congratulated the country on its election as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council for the 2026–27 term.
He also expressed gratitude for Liberia’s show of solidarity following the recent terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu & Kashmir, and acknowledged the strong ties built during a recent Indian parliamentary delegation’s visit to Monrovia.
Speaking at the event, South African Ambassador Prof. Iqbal Jhazbhay noted that the world is currently witnessing a growing global backlash against women’s and girls’ rights in multilateral settings.
He cited concerning trends in institutions like the UN General Assembly and the Human Rights Council, where hard-won language and commitments to gender equality are being eroded.
“This is not only a matter of rhetoric,” Jhazbhay warned. “Funding is being reduced, civil society particularly feminist organizations are being sidelined, and authoritarian narratives are attempting to reframe gender equality as a ‘Western imposition.’ These actions are endangering global solidarity and stalling progress on fundamental rights for women and girls.”
The partnership, which brings together three of the world’s largest democracies India, Brazil, and South Africa — offers an inclusive and intersectional model of cooperation rooted in the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, adopted 30 years ago.
“Through the IBSA Fund and partnerships with organizations like UN Women, our countries have remained resolute in defending and advancing gender rights.
Urgency of maintaining focus
Vice President Howard-Taylor and other speakers echoed the urgency of maintaining focus on women’s empowerment amid global uncertainty and competing political agendas.
The inclusion of Liberia’s two Nobel Laureates underscored the country’s ongoing leadership in peacebuilding and gender advocacy.
Ambassador Jhazbhay concluded by emphasizing the role of decisive leadership and systemic frameworks to safeguard progress: “We must ensure that the most vulnerable, particularly women and girls do not lose hard-fought opportunities to ideological resistance and political power plays. Projects like these are how we push back.”
The IBSA Fund, established in 2004, serves as a unique development cooperation model, emphasizing solidarity among developing countries.
With initiatives like this one, the Forum reinforces its role in fostering inclusive development, gender justice, and global collaboration across the Global South.
The project also enjoys support from the European Union, Sweden, Ireland, and UNDP, whose long-standing investments in Liberia’s gender equality efforts were acknowledged during the event.
As Liberia deepens its democratic foundations, this initiative represents a critical step toward gender-balanced leadership, sustained development, and the meaningful inclusion of women in the nation’s decision-making processes.