- Liberia's Women's Legislative Caucus has secured a US$1 million project from the governments of India, Brazil, and South Africa (IBSA) to expand women's political leadership, strengthen legislative processes, and promote gender-responsive governance.
The initiative, officially launched Tuesday at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, is titled "Women Legislators in Liberia: Promoting Voice, Leadership, and Gender-Responsive Governance." The event drew lawmakers, government officials, ambassadors, civil society leaders, and international partners.
Repositioning the Caucus
Grand Cape Mount County Senator Dabbah Varpilah traced the project's roots to the induction of the 55th Legislature in January 2024, when the caucus, then led by Senate Pro Tempore Nyonblee Karnga-Lawrence, began reengaging international partners, including the Swedish Embassy, UN Women, and UNDP.
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She said a retreat with these partners produced a comprehensive work plan to reposition the caucus within the legislature. Current chair Rep. Ellen Arthur Wreh later led a delegation to the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW68) in New York, where the caucus actively lobbied for support. With the backing of Liberia's Permanent Mission to the UN, the delegation engaged India's Permanent Mission, laying the groundwork for Tuesday's signing.
Varpilah explained that the process took more than 18 months, involving close collaboration with India, Brazil, South Africa, and UN Women, from concept submission to final approval.
Project Funding and Coverage
The initiative will be financed through the IBSA Fund, coordinated by the UN Office for South-South Cooperation and implemented by UN Women Liberia in partnership with the caucus. Running from 2025 to 2027, activities will be rolled out in eight counties: Bong, Gbarpolu, Grand Cape Mount, Grand Bassa, Grand Gedeh, Lofa, Margibi, and Montserrado.
Varpilah stressed the urgency of the project, noting women in Liberia remain significantly underrepresented in decision-making. Barriers include restrictive social norms, political party gatekeeping, non-transparent candidate selection, high campaign costs, limited financing, harassment, and the absence of consistent gender analysis in lawmaking and budgeting.
Goals and Interventions
The project will build the capacity of caucus members, legislative committees, and staff in gender-responsive lawmaking, oversight, and constituency outreach. It will provide technical support for drafting bills, conducting hearings, and reviewing policies, while working to mainstream gender perspectives into laws and budgets.
At the community level, it will support adult and financial literacy, digital and entrepreneurial skills, and agricultural value chain development, including Village Savings and Loan Associations and women's cooperatives.
The project also emphasizes South-South learning. Through three structured exchanges with peers in India and South Africa, Liberian legislators will adapt tested models to local realities. These exchanges are expected to bolster institutional capacity and advance gender-sensitive amendments in collaboration with legislative committees, the National Elections Commission, the Law Reform Commission, and the Ministry of Gender.
To shift public perception, the caucus will lead outreach campaigns and partner with the media to highlight women's contributions and encourage safe participation. A new WLCL-civil society coordination platform will further legal literacy and community feedback.
A key feature is the launch of a legislative internship program placing young women with caucus members and committees, exposing them to parliamentary processes and leadership opportunities. Peer learning, mentoring, and study visits with IBSA and Mano River Union peers are also planned.
Voices of Partners
Indian Ambassador to Liberia Manoj Bihari Verma called the initiative both a contribution and a responsibility. "Together, we must ensure that its resources are used effectively and responsibly, so that Liberia's women and communities gain the maximum benefit," he said. "The future of Liberia is inseparable from the progress of its women."
UN Women Liberia Country Representative Comfort Lamptey hailed the project as "the first of its kind" in Liberia and "a powerful example of South-South solidarity, where countries share resources, lessons, and experiences to drive progress together."
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Liberia's Foreign Affairs Minister Sara Nyanti described the initiative as more than a formal agreement. "It is a powerful demonstration of our collective commitment to strengthening women's leadership," she said. "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."
A Critical Step Forward
Liberia has often been celebrated for electing Africa's first female president, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. Yet women still make up only a small fraction of the national legislature. Advocates say the IBSA-backed project marks a meaningful step toward reversing that imbalance by equipping women lawmakers with the tools, visibility, and resources to influence laws, budgets, and policies that affect everyday Liberians.
