Sweden’s exit from Liberia leaves a critical gap in support for girls’ sexual and reproductive health and rights. For years, Swedish funding empowered local organizations to mentor young women, provide sex education, and reduce teen pregnancy. Now, with this lifeline ending, rural communities risk losing access to vital programs that protect girls’ futures. Advocates are…
By Tetee Gebro and Joyclyn Wea with New Narratives Summary: Nearly a year after public anger forced the government to suspend the chaotic rollout of the national digital identification registration, Liberia is preparing to hire a private company to help restart the enrolment and operate the system. The system will digitize the data of the…
By Joyclyn Wea, gender correspondent with New Narratives Summary: S.D. COOPER ROAD, Paynesville – At a Valentine’s Day gathering earlier this year, a teenage girl stood before her peers. She described a boy in her community who had been giving her gifts and telling her she was the prettiest girl he had ever seen. She was…
Liberia’s House has taken a bold step by backing a 30% gender quota for candidates — but women’s groups warn the “best efforts” clause could let parties off the hook. True equality means enforceable laws, not optional promises. Joyclyn Wea reports in this social media Video. To read more about this story click this link:…
By Joyclyn Wea, gender correspondent with New Narratives Summary: Walk into Liberia’s Capitol Building during a legislative session, and the gender imbalance is difficult to miss. In the 73-member House of Representatives, just eight lawmakers are women. In the Senate, women occupy just two of 30 seats. That reality is why many women’s rights advocates initially…
Three out of every four Liberians are under 35 — a powerful force for the nation’s future. At a recent UNDP youth dialogue in Monrovia, young entrepreneurs, artists, athletes, and innovators demanded not just encouragement but real tools: funding, mentorship, training, and opportunities. The UN has promised a new approach that listens first and acts…
By Joyclyn Wea, gender correspondent with New Narratives Summary: “If they are not feeling it, if you are not making a difference in what they do, then we are irrelevant.” That was the frank concession from Aliou Mamadou Dia, the United Nations Development Program’s resident representative in Liberia, to more than 50 young people —…
By Tetee Gebro, gender correspondent with New Narratives Summary: TODEE, Montserrado County — On a recent morning, the 57-year-old grandmother at the center of a rape case that has outraged anti-gender-based violence advocates, returned to the gold field where her life changed four months ago. Her body and mind have not recovered from what she said…
Liberian youth are calling for their turn in leadership. In a dialogue with former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and senior leaders, they heard powerful lessons of sacrifice and resilience, while demanding genuine inclusion in shaping the nation’s future. With 75% of Liberians under 35, bridging the generational divide is urgent. Joyclyn Wea reports in this…
By Joyclyn Wea and Tetee Gebro, gender correspondents with New Narratives Summary: Young Liberians sat face-to-face with some of the country’s most powerful political figures last week in Monrovia, listening to stories of prison, exile, and hard-won leadership. But as they absorbed lessons from the past, many also made a quiet demand: they want a…
Liberia has restricted misoprostol sales to prescriptions only, citing safety concerns. But women’s groups warn that tighter controls could worsen maternal deaths in a country already facing one of the world’s highest rates. Over 38,000 pregnancies ended in abortion in 2021—most with serious complications. Joyclyn Wea reports in this social media Video. To read more…
Liberia is testing new ways for citizens to report corruption. One idea was simple: drop acomplaint in a locked box and walk away. But it didn’t work. The results show Liberians aretoo afraid to report corruption.Corruption watchdogs hope a new app will solve the problem. But, as with so many otherthings in Liberia, it needs…
Armed men have broken into the offices of Liberia’s leading organization investigating civil warcrimes. Activists say it’s the latest in a series of threats against victims, witnesses and investigatorslinked to efforts to bring perpetrators to justice. Human rights groups are urging the government to strengthen protection as Liberia moves closerto establishing a war crimes court….
By Joyclyn Wea, gender correspondent with New Narratives Summary: Liberian women’s health advocates have cautiously welcomed a government announcement that it is going to more closely regulate Misoprostol, a drug widely used to cause a medical abortion or to provide care for women facing life-threatening conditions during and after pregnancy. But they warn that the…
At a meeting in Monrovia, women from major political parties acknowledged that despite their central role as voters, mobilizers, and organizers, they remain marginalized in leadership, holding just 10.7% of seats in the Legislature. The coalition, supported by UN Women and civil society groups, unveiled a revised constitution and strategic plan to strengthen advocacy, county…
By Joyclyn Wea, gender correspondent with New Narratives Summary: In a political system where women occupy less than 11 percent of seats in the country’s Legislature – one of the lowest rates in the world – women from Liberia’s major political parties gathered Tuesday in an effort to overcome differences and work together to achieve…
Liberia’s anti‑corruption watchdog has admitted its plan to fight graft by placing “whistleblower boxes” in government buildings has failed, with fewer than three reports submitted in seven months as citizens fear retaliation for being seen near the boxes. Experts say the experiment highlights a deeper crisis of trust and safety in reporting corruption, and are…
Liberia’s new U.S. health deal is being sold as progress, but experts warn it may leave the country more vulnerable than ever. Funding for lifesaving programs has been slashed, oversight is weaker, and critical services for women and families could disappear just when Liberians need them most. Even more alarming, the agreement gives the U.S….
By Joyclyn Wea with New Narratives Summary: In August, the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission, hoping to encourage Liberians to call out what experts say is rampant corruption at every level of government, began placing whistleblower boxes across key government ministries, agencies, and police stations. They hoped people, particularly officials of government, would quietly report corruption and other illegal…
Liberia’s digital identity crisis is spiraling into a national emergency. Seven months after the government halted the rollout to “fix the system,” millions of Liberians remain locked out of banking halls, telecom services, and basic public systems—all because a US$1.7 million unpaid debt has left the country’s biometric database in the hands of a foreign…
By Joyclyn Wea, health reporter and New Narratives editors Summary: Late last year, the government of Liberia signed a five-year health agreement with the United States. President Joseph Boakai’s administration celebrated the deal as a step toward taking control of the country’s own health system. But health experts, former U.S. government officials, and civil society groups are raising serious…
