UN Women, UNDP, NEC and Partners Validate Study on Violence Against Women in Elections and Politics in Liberia

UN Women, UNDP and the National Elections Commission (NEC) on Tuesday, 28 April 2026 jointly presented and facilitated validation of an assessment report on Violence Against Women in Elections and Politics (VAWEP) in Liberia. 

The initiative, which is supported by the Liberia Electoral Support Project, co-funded by the European Union, Ireland and Sweden, brought together representatives of government institutions, political parties, civil society organizations, development partners, and electoral stakeholders in Monrovia to review the findings and discuss actions to strengthen women’s political participation and protection in Liberia.

The assessment, conducted between September and November 2025 across Montserrado, Nimba, Bong, Lofa, Sinoe and Gbarpolu counties, examined the barriers women face in participating in politics before, during, and after elections. 

Presenting the findings, Dr. Theresa de Langis and Ora Barclay, the consultant team who undertook the study, highlighted that violence against women in elections and politics remains systemic and deeply entrenched, limiting women’s full and equal participation in democratic processes in Liberia.

Women remain significantly under-represented in in the political sphere. Although women constituted more than half of registered voters during the 2023 elections, they represented only 15.5 percent of candidates. Women currently hold 11 percent of seats in the National Legislature, with eight women in the House of Representatives and three in the Senate.

Speaking during the meeting, NEC Oversight Commissioner for Gender, Commissioner Josephine Kou Gaye, expressed concern over the persistent decline in women’s political participation.

“The future of women in politics is under constant threat. We must identify practical solutions that will safeguard and expand women’s participation,” she said.

Dr. Anna Brzozowska, EU Team Lead for Governance, underscored the importance of addressing the gap between advocacy efforts and women’s actual representation in leadership.

“Women are central to peacebuilding and civic life yet remain underrepresented in political leadership. We must confront the factors driving this decline,” she said.

Katherine Green, UNDP Chief Technical Advisor of the Liberia Electoral Support Project, noted that violence against women continues to undermine women’s equal participation in politics. 

“This study provides critical evidence to strengthen understanding of the barriers women face and to inform more targeted interventions,” she said.

Tsega Gebremeskel, Team Lead for Governance, Peace and Security and Officer-in-Charge at UN Women Liberia, thanked members of the Reference Group and partners for their technical support throughout the assessment process.

The assessment recommends strengthening legal and policy frameworks to address VAWEP, reforming political party structures to reduce barriers for women candidates, improving data collection and monitoring systems, and expanding community-level initiatives to address harmful social norms and discrimination.

The Liberia Electoral Support Project supports national institutions and electoral processes to promote inclusive, transparent and accountable governance. The project is managed by UNDP and implemented in partnership with UN Women, the Netherlands Institute for Multiparty Democracy (NIMD), and the National Elections Commission, with support from the European Union, Ireland and Sweden.