Liberia takes a historic step toward justice as President Joseph Boakai, fresh from receiving a peace prize in the U.S., has given lawmakers 90 days to pass legislation establishing a War and Economic Crimes Court. Backed by $2 million in annual funding, Boakai’s bold move renews hope for accountability and reconciliation after decades of delay….
By Anthony Stephens, senior justice correspondent with New Narratives Summary: A civil society coalition has urged President Joseph Boakai to renew the executive order for the Office of the War and Economic Crimes Court which has expired for a second time. The Office is tasked with establishing the court. The executive orders are only meant…
Liberia’s EPA to release findings on the Bea Mountain mine fish die-off. Experts warn of long-term contamination threatening rivers, crops and communities in Grand Cape Mount. A national call for accountability and stronger protections. Nemenlah Cyrus Harmon reports in this social media Video. To read more about this story click this link: Liberia: As Environmental Protection…
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 Nemenlah Cyrus Harmon, environment reporter with New Narratives Summary: . Cyanide contamination first struck the Mafa River in 2022; four years later, a second spill has again been traced to the Bea Mountain gold mine concession but unusual chemical has raised suspicions toxin was planted intentionally. · The Environmental Protection Agency has promised a report…
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 —…
A 57‑year‑old grandmother from Montserrado County, who says she was raped in broad daylight while returning from panning for gold, has faced months of delays and demands for illegal fees as she tries to pursue justice. Her case file went missing for weeks, and despite finally being found, the trial has yet to begin. Advocates…
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…
Bong County is showing how community-led action can make a difference: crime has dropped by 86% thanks to volunteer Community Watch Teams who patrol at night, partner with police, and help keep neighborhoods safe. While challenges like limited resources and oversight remain, residents say these grassroots efforts have restored peace and confidence across the county….
Liberia’s push for justice is at risk: a public feud between War Crimes Court Office chief Jallah Barbu and Justice Minister Oswald Tweh has exposed funding delays and political resistance that threaten to stall the creation of war crimes and anti-corruption courts. As survivors demand accountability and activists warn of sabotage, the dispute casts doubt…
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…
By Anthony Stephens, senior justice correspondent with New Narratives Summary: A public dispute between Jallah Barbu, the executive director of the Office of the War and Economic Crimes Court of Liberia, and the Oswald Tweh, the justice minister, has cast a cloud over the war crimes court and a national anti-corruption court, prompting a range…
Liberia’s Independent National Commission on Human Rights (INCHR) chief sharply criticized the country’s persistent corruption problem, warning that it undermines justice and governance. His remarks came as the United Nations launched a justice training program aimed at strengthening rule of law institutions, with the hope that such initiatives can help Liberia confront systemic issues that…
By Anthony Stephens, senior justice correspondent with New Narratives Summary: The United Nations began training Liberian prosecutors, investigators and civil society actors to tackle corruption through a human rights lens this week, as the country advances plans to establish a National Anti-Corruption Court and the long-delayed War and Economic Crimes Court. The two-day initiative was…
The Gambia has begun paying reparations to victims of crimes committed during the violent 22-year regime of former president Yahya Jammeh, which ended in 2017. The country’s Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission recommended that more than 1,000 victims receive 237 million dalasi (about $3.7 million) for abuses that left around 250 people dead and thousands…
By Anthony Stephens, senior justice correspondent with New Narratives Summary: The Gambia has begun paying reparations to victims of crimes committed during the violent 22-year regime of former president Yahya Jammeh that ended in 2017. The country’s 2021 Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission report recommended that more than 1,000 victims be paid 237 million dalasi…
Promises of jobs in Canada and Australia have lured hundreds of people into the hands of human traffickers in Liberia. But fair trials for those affected have been elusive. A months-long New Narratives investigation detailed bribe payments that more than 50 victims said had protected their traffickers from prosecution. Delays have meant that the accused traffickers could walk free….
By Tetee Gebro, gender correspondent with New Narratives Summary: WATERSIDE MARKET, Monrovia – Bessy Toe sat behind small piles of sugar, flour and milk here one day recently, watching the hours pass. Business used to move, she said. Now, goods stay too long on the table, and sometimes they must be sold at a loss to…
Liberia’s market women say the Iran conflict has driven up fuel and import costs, leaving them with slow sales, spoiled goods, and families cutting back on meals just to cope with the rising prices. Tetee Gebro reports in this social media Video. To read more about this story click this link: Liberia’s Market Women Bear…
By Clankson Acheampong MALLAM MARKET, Accra – By 7:30 a.m., Gladys Ahugah has already arranged her onions, ginger and garlic neatly on a wooden table under the scorching sun here at Accra’s biggest food market. Behind her, a pepper grinding mill roars to life. Dust rises. Vehicles crawl past on the busy Mallam-Kasoa road, releasing…
