Liberian Women Honored for Peacebuilding Legacy

22 March 2026
The New Dawn (Monrovia)
By Stephen G. Fellajuah

- A national ceremony recognizing women who have significantly contributed to Liberia's peace and stability was held Saturday at the Bella Casa Hotel. Organized under the banner of Liberian Women's History Month, the event brought together national leaders, grassroots advocates, and youth representatives to honor the resilience and leadership of Liberian women throughout the country's most challenging periods.

The program, dedicated to the legacy of the late Mary Nema Brownell, was jointly hosted by the Angie Brooks International Centre (ABIC), the Liberian Institute for Growing Patriotism (LIGP), and Ma Mary's Place. Honorees included former Head of State Ruth Sando Fahnbulleh Perry, whose role during Liberia's transitional period remains central to the nation's peacebuilding history.

Delivering the keynote address, Mary Laurene Browne reflected on the courage displayed by Liberian women during the civil conflict, noting that they advocated tirelessly--through dialogue, prayer, and unwavering conviction--at great personal risk.

ABIC Establishment Coordinator Cllr. Yvette Chesson-Wureh emphasized that the program aimed to highlight a more complete narrative of Liberia's peace process, one in which women organized effectively and exercised moral authority alongside men and the diaspora.

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LIGP Executive Director Olubanke King-Akerele echoed these sentiments, stressing the vital role Liberian women at home and abroad played in advocating for an end to the civil war and supporting long-term peace efforts.

Young attendees described the occasion as both reflective and motivating, urging that recognition of women's peacebuilding efforts be paired with sustained investment in their empowerment, education, and inclusion in leadership.

The event also featured a candlelighting ceremony and the official launch of the Mary Nema Brownell Peace Foundation, led by Ophelia Hoff-Saytumah. The foundation aims to empower women and girls as active contributors to peace and national development.

Organizers concluded by reaffirming a shared commitment to safeguarding Liberia's hard-won peace while nurturing future generations of female leaders.

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