OVERVIEW
Between 1990 and 2003, Liberia experienced cyclical periods of brutal violence and short lived fragile peace, characterised by power and resource hungry warlords, recruitment of child soldiers, indiscriminate killings, and widespread and systematic perpetration of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) with an estimated 75 per cent of women and girls experiencing rape and/or sexual abuse (OHCHR 2016: 5). The culmination of efforts that led to Liberian peace process in 2003 and the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) was driven by the mobilisation and activism of grassroots women and women’s movement. The peace process involved women’s participation as negotiators, observers, and signatories, and the women’s movement held powerful protests outside of formal negotiations to effectively lobby and pressure politicians and warring parties to bring about peace. The CPA led to the election of the first female leader in Africa, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, who promoted legislation addressing violence against women (VAW), women’s inheritance rights and removing gender discrimination from national laws. Despite these efforts, Liberian women continue to confront many everyday challenges including SGBV, poverty, illiteracy and limited access to sexual and reproductive health services.
