Advancing Inclusive Elections: National Elections Commission Builds Capacity on Gender Equality and Disability Inclusion in Ganta

On 25 May in Ganta, the National Elections Commission (NEC), in partnership with UN Women and UNDP, launched the first round of a workshop on Inclusive Electoral Management: Gender Equality and Disability Inclusion under the Liberia Electoral Support Project.

This first cohort brings together 25 NEC staff from headquarters and magistrate offices, forming part of a broader training series that will reach 75 staff across three cohorts, with additional sessions planned in Ganta and Buchanan in the coming weeks.

The workshop is strengthening staff capacity to identify and address barriers faced by women and persons with disabilities throughout the electoral cycle, from voter registration and civic education to polling, counting, and dispute resolution. It also examines how inclusion can be embedded within NEC’s internal systems, policies, and workplace practices.

Facilitated by senior NEC leadership and accredited trainers, participants are engaging in practical, scenario-based learning using globally recognized modules on gender equality and disability rights in elections of the Building Resources in Democratic Governance and Elections (BRIDGE) curriculum.

Importantly, the training will feed into the development of NEC’s Gender Equality and Social Inclusion Implementation Action Plan, outlining clear actions, responsibilities, and timelines to operationalize inclusion across electoral processes.

This initiative builds on ongoing progress, including the adoption of NEC’s Gender Equality and Social Inclusion Policy in 2024, the development of the Violence Against Women in Elections and Politics (VAWE/P) Protocol, and targeted voter education and outreach for women, youth, and persons with disabilities.

Through the Liberia Electoral Support Project, co-funded by the European Union, the Embassy of Ireland, the Embassy of Sweden, and UNDP, NEC and its partners continue to advance electoral processes that are more inclusive, accessible, and responsive to all Liberians.

The Liberia Electoral Support Project is managed by UNDP and implemented in partnership with UN Women, the Netherlands Institute for Multiparty Democracy, and the NEC, with support from the European Union, Ireland, and Sweden.