Liberia
Liberia
Women in Liberia were powerful non-violent activists during the years of the the Second Liberian Civil War (1999-2003), and have led the efforts to rebuild their country through empowering women to participate in politics and peace processes.
Under the presidency of Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, the first democratically elected female head of state in Africa, Liberia has developed a National Action Plan on the implementation of Resolution 1325 (2000), and began a constitutional review process in 2015 that many hoped would outlaw discrimination against women.
However, traditional and cultural practices perpetuate gender inequality through today, exacerbated by the de-prioritization of the gender equality agenda following the Ebola epidemic. Women community leaders were instrumental in stopping the spread of the Ebola virus in 2014, during which women paid a particularly high price— three in four Ebola deaths were women, due to their traditional roles of caregivers (Liberian Ministry of Health).
Based on the work of NGOWG members and their partners, the NGOWG advocates for the Security Council’s continued support for the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) in the effort to mainstream the women, peace and security agenda across its entire operation, giving special attention to sexual and gender-based violence.
Current and Past Recommendations to the UN Security Council (Monthly Action Points)
Liberia (August 2017)
The Council is expected to consider the situation in Liberia, with a particular focus on the continued drawdown of the UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) and forthcoming elections. To fully implement its WPS obligations, UNMIL should ensure women’s representation and participation is prioritized in electoral and political processes, justice and security sector reform, and efforts to strengthen the rule of law. Further, the Council should inquire as to the status of the 2015 National Action Plan (NAP) on Resolution 1325 (2000) and request information on the extent to which UNMIL is supporting its implementation as part of UNMIL’s efforts to ensure a smooth transition of all activities to the UN Country Team (CEDAW/C/LBR/CO/7-8). Further, the Council should also ensure that gender is actively mainstreamed across all reintegration, post-conflict recovery, and peacebuilding processes, including through promoting education and vocational training for women and girls associated with armed groups in reintegration efforts. Survivors must be given full access to post-conflict relief and recovery programs, including access to comprehensive reproductive health and psychosocial services (SCR 2106 (2013)). It is imperative that, over the course of the transition, mission responsibilities related to WPS are continued, and any entities which take on transferred responsibilities have the necessary capacity and resources. As part of its implementation of the WPS agenda and in order to strengthen the information and analysis it is receiving on the gender dimensions of the situation, the Council should invite women civil society representatives and the Executive Director of UN-Women to brief the Council (SCR 2122 (2013), OP 1(a)(c)).
Relevant Resources
