FrontPage Africa

UN Special Rapporteur Says “Poverty and Inequality Are Drivers” of Human Trafficking; Calls on Gov. to Fund Protection of Victims and Prosecution of Accused Traffickers

By Anthony Stephens with New Narratives ONE UN HOUSE, Liberia—A United Nations expert has warned that poverty and equality are high among “children, women and girls” in Liberia and “are drivers” of human trafficking. Madam Siobhán Mullally, the UN Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons, said the issues were also fueling “sexual exploitation” among children “in rural and hard…

Anthony Stephens
Frontpage Africa

West African Regional Body Approves Special Tribunal in The Gambia Setting Precedent for Liberia’s War and Economics Crimes Court

By New Narratives justice correspondents Yankuba Jallow in The Gambia and Anthony Stephens in Liberia. In a potential precedent for Liberia’s transitional justice process, Ecowas, West Africa’s regional bloc, has finally approved The Gambia’s request to establish a Special Tribunal to try alleged crimes committed during the military dictatorship of Yahya Jammeh whose rule from…

Anthony Stephens
Frontpage Africa

Senate Unanimously Confirms President Boakai’s Controversial UN Pick, But Advocates Dismisses It as “a Serious Threat to Justice”

By Anthony Stephens with New Narratives The Liberian Senate has confirmed Lewis Brown, President Joseph Boakai’s controversial pick for Ambassador to the United Nations, despite opposition from leading voices in the human rights community in the country. Advocates had argued that Mr. Brown, recommended in Liberia’s 2009 Truth and Reconciliation Commision report as one of 26 individuals who should face prosecution…

Anthony Stephens
Frontpage Africa

Nobel Laureate Gbowee Says Hindsight Has Shown Former President Sirleaf’s Government Was a “Diamond” in Comparison with Successors

By Anthony Stephens, senior correspondent with New Narratives Summary In a surprising concession, Leymah Gbowee, Liberia’s internationally renowned peace activist, has said that she has revised her prior criticisms of the government of President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, who left office after two six-year terms in 2018. In an exclusive interview with FrontPage Africa, Gbowee, who shared the…

Anthony Stephens
Frontpage Africa

Death of Domestic Violence Survivor Highlights Systemic Failures

By Joyclyn Wea, senior correspondent, New Narratives Summary: MISSION-THIRD, Montserrado County – Esther’s final words came in weak, gasping breaths. “I won’t make it,” the mother of six whispered, collapsing in the yard as neighbor Ma Fatu tried to hold her upright. Blood streamed from her nose. Moments earlier, according to her five-year-old daughter who witnessed the attack, Esther’s husband…

Joyclyn Wea
Frontpage Africa

As Survey Finds Liberians Among the World’s Biggest Worriers, Experts Warn Stress Is Driving the Rise in Chronic Diseases Especially Among Women

By Joyclyn Wea and Tetee Gebro with New Narratives Summary: MOUNT BARCLAY, Montserrado County- Each morning, as the sun climbs over here, Kebbeh Kollie grips a sledgehammer and strikes stone. The sharp clang echoes through the quarry near Mount Barclay, a rhythm of survival. For three years, the 40-year-old single mother has crushed rocks to…

Joyclyn Wea and Tetee Gebro
Frontpage Africa

“Excellence in Independent Journalism” Project in Liberia

“New Narratives is making a significant and meaningful contribution to the overall quantity and quality of independent journalism in Liberia by producing and diffusing high-quality reporting through media partners and other outlets. The evaluation found good evidence that many stories set the news agenda, strengthen the quality of public debate and have
sometimes led to concrete responses from public authorities. Stories and the framing of issues by New Narratives are often picked up by other media in their own reporting.”…


Justice Advocates Reject Surprise Bills for War Crimes Court, Say Measures Aim to Shield Suspects

By Anthony Stephens, senior justice correspondent with New Narratives Summary: ·        Justice advocates say surprise bills from Senator Joseph Jallah and Pro-Tempore Nyonblee Karnga-Lawrence could shield accused perpetrators and undermine years of advocacy for a war and economic crimes court. ·        The bills would send appeals from the War Crimes Court to Liberia’s…

Anthony Stephens
Frontpage Africa

Rights Advocates Split on Liberian Government’s Decision To Take Salvadoran Immigrant Who Has Become Symbol of Trump’s Aggressive Deportation Agenda

By Anthony Stephens, senior justice correspondent with New NarrativesSummary: Civil society leaders said the Boakai government’s decision to “voluntarily” acceptSalvadoran immigrant Kilmar Armando Abrego García—a symbol of Trump’s hardlinedeportation agenda – violated the man’s human rights and were made under threat ofretaliation Liberia’s acceptance of Garcia came after other African countries refused to take him…

Anthony Stephens
Frontpage Africa

Campaign to Abolish The Death Penalty Gains New Life As Human Rights Advocates Warn it Could Undermine Support for War Crimes Court

Summary: By Anthony Stephens, senior justice correspondent with New Narratives The Liberian government has responded to a renewed push by civil society pledging to submit a revised bill to the Legislature that would end the practice in the country. The five-month, $US84,000 initiative — funded by the British Embassy in Liberia — marks the second…

Anthony Stephens
Frontpage Africa

Martina Johnson, Warlord Charles Taylor Ally, Likely to Face Trial in Belgium

Summary: By Anthony Stephens, senior justice correspondent with New Narratives Martina Johnson, one of the most powerful commanders of Charles Taylor’s National Patriotic Front for Liberia (NPFL) rebel group, is expected to go on trial in Belgium next year for atrocities allegedly committed during Liberia’s first civil war. A court is considering evidence gathered during…

Anthony Stephens
Frontpage Africa

Monrovia’s Citizens Beg for Quiet as Environment Protection Authority Promises Crackdown on Noise Pollution

By Aria Deemie, environmental reporter with New Narratives At 3 a.m. Richedna Kpanneh Tobii finally opened her books. The 21-year-old university student had learned that her densely populated neighborhood of Lakpazee, with more than 160,000 people, was only quiet enough for her to study in the middle of the night. Video clubs blasted matches past midnight….

Aria Deemie
Frontpage Africa

Victims of LURD Rebel General ‘K1’ Say Five-Year U.S. Sentence Is an Insult to His Heinous Crimes and Demand He Is Tried in War Crimes Court.

By Nemenlah Cyrus Harmon, senior correspondent with New Narratives Summary: For more than two decades, they lived in silence, haunted by the war. In January, seventeen Liberians summoned the courage to travel to the U.S. court in Philadelphia and testify against one of the most feared rebel commanders of Liberia’s second civil war: Laye Sekou…

Nemenlah Cyrus Harmon
Frontpage Africa