By Tetee Gebro, gender and health correspondent with New Narratives Summary MOUNT BARCLAY, Montserrado County — Victoria remembers the moment when her joy at delivering a baby girl turned to fear. The baby came early, at Victoria’s home. She did not cry. The midwife turned her upside down, trying everything to get a sound out of her….
Liberia’s economy has stabilized in recent years, with growth accelerating to over 4.6% in 2025 and inflation easing due to stronger fiscal discipline and monetary management. The government’s reforms have narrowed deficits and improved external balances, while mining, agriculture, and infrastructure spending continue to drive expansion. However, the country’s future hinges on securing sustainable financing…
By Anthony Stephens, senior justice correspondent with New Narratives Summary: SINKOR, Monrovia -Victims and survivors of the St. Peter’s Lutheran Church massacre, one of the bloodiest atrocities of Liberia’s 14-year civil conflict, had expected that by the time of their 36th commemoration, the court to try those accused of war crimes would be preparing to get…
By Nemenlah Cyrus Harmon, reporter with New Narratives Summary Liberia’s economy has shown real signs of improvement. Inflation has come down. The government has narrowed its budget deficit. Growth has picked up. But according to a new report from the African Development Bank, stability by itself won’t be enough to carry Liberia forward. The report is the…
By Nemenlah Cyrus Harmon, climate and environment reporter with New Narratives Summary GEORGE MOKO TOWN, Montserrado County – When the Environmental Protection Agency Executive Director Emmanuel Urey Yarkpawolo stepped onto the sprawling mining site here in Todee District, he was stunned by what he saw. Before him lay acres of freshly cleared forest, excavators still at…
By Anthony Stephens, senior justice correspondent with New Narratives Summary: Victims of Liberia’s largest human trafficking case and anti-human trafficking advocates say they were “shocked and disappointed” by Supreme Court Chief Justice Yamie Quiqui Gbeisay Sr. appointment of a lawyer whom numerous victims have accused of “being on the payroll” to protect human traffickers in the country….
“We have had so many dialogues,” agriculture entrepreneur Nyamah Dunbar told lawmakers, government officials, and development partners gathered in Monrovia last month for the launch of the consultation findings. Echoing her sisters in the survey, she declared: “I am ready for action.” Joyclyn Wea reports in this social media Video. To read more about this…
The grandmother’s fight for justice exposes the paralysis of Liberia’s judicial system: despite hundreds of reported cases of rape, only two convictions have been secured in six years. Survivors are left without justice, while perpetrators walk free, eroding public trust and leaving families devastated. Tetee Gebro reports in this social media Video. To read more…
The story highlights how gambling is pulling young men away from Liberia’s rural farms, leaving fields untended and harvests diminished. Many farmers complain that instead of working, laborers spend their days at betting shops, chasing quick wins. This shift drains vital manpower from agriculture, undermines food production, and deepens poverty in communities that depend on…
By Tetee Gebro, gender and health correspondent with New Narratives Summary: TODEE DISTRICT, Montserrado County — The first time they came, they brought L$18,000 (US$100). The second time the family brought a lapa, a traditional cloth. When the family, whose 24-year-old son had been accused by multiple witnesses of raping the 57-year-old grandmother in broad daylight in front…
By Joyclyn Wea, gender correspondent with New Narratives Summary Liberian women said they are tired of explaining their problems. After years of consultations, meetings, and promises, many of the 160 respondents to a new nationwide consultation across Liberia’s 15 counties said the country’s leaders already know what they need: affordable healthcare, better roads, support for…
“The defendants deceived their victims, recruited them, harbored them, exploited them, sexually abused them and took money from them as registration fees,” Judge Roosevelt Z. Willie said during his more than two-hour reading of a 36-page judgment. “These are all critical elements of trafficking in persons. And it is the considered judgment of this court…
By Anthony Stephens, senior justice correspondent with New Narratives Summary: A Liberian court awarded US$120,000 in restitution to victims and imposed the country’s longest-ever human trafficking sentences, sentencing eight defendants to 50 years and three others to 20 in Liberia’s largest trafficking case. The court ordered banks and telecommunications companies to identify and freeze assets belonging…
Liberia’s Sexual and Reproductive Rights Coalition has spent five years shifting public attitudes, training young people, and building support for reproductive health. Despite these achievements, the coalition’s central demand—the inclusion of abortion access in the stalled Public Health Bill—remains unresolved due to Senate delays, leaving women vulnerable and pushing activists to call for stronger local…
By Joyclyn Wea, gender correspondent with New Narratives Summary: Five years ago, organizations working on sexual and reproductive health across Liberia reached the same conclusion: acting alone was not enough. With funding from the Swedish government, they formed the Amplifying Rights Network, a coalition that has since trained community leaders, mobilized thousands of citizens, and…
Liberia is experiencing a surge in solar energy adoption, with a record number of panels entering the country. This expansion is helping more households and businesses gain access to electricity, particularly in rural areas where the national grid is limited. However, experts caution that challenges remain, including affordability, maintenance, and ensuring equitable distribution of solar…
A 12-member jury in Monrovia has unanimously convicted eight defendants in Liberia’s largest human trafficking trial, finding them guilty of trafficking 57 victims after just 23 minutes of deliberation. The case, which involved harrowing testimony of beatings, torture, rape, and financial exploitation, was seen as a landmark test of Liberia’s justice system amid allegations of…
By Nemenlah Cyrus Harmon, climate and environment reporter with New Narratives Summary Every morning before sunrise, Karrus Hayes loads a pickup truck in Paynesville and points it toward the interior. The road to Bapolu County is long. The road to Sinoe is longer. But he goes to those rural counties anyway because people there are waiting…
By Anthony Stephens, senior justice correspondent with New Narratives Summary: Jurors hearing Liberia’s largest human trafficking trial on Monday unanimously found the remaining defendants guilty, bringing to a close a nearly month-long trial marked by emotional testimony from victims and fierce legal battles between prosecutors and defense lawyers. The 12-member jury returned its verdict after just…
Outcome seen as measure of justice system under international scrutiny for bribery allegations By Anthony Stephens, senior justice correspondent with New Narratives Liberia’s Largest Trafficking Trial Ends in Convictions for All Defendants A jury convicted all eight defendants on all charges Monday in Liberia’s largest human trafficking trial, delivering a unanimous verdict after roughly 20…
Liberia’s new five‑year, US$124 million health compact with the U.S. is drawing sharp scrutiny as other African nations reject similar deals over concerns about data sovereignty, specimen sharing, and funding obligations. Civil society groups warn that the agreement could give U.S. entities long‑term access to sensitive health information without adequate safeguards, while shifting financial burdens…
