Published: September 15, 2025
MONROVIA — Civil society groups and journalists say Liberia’s Legislature has long operated with little scrutiny. Now, a three-day training aims to change that, equipping watchdogs with tools to push for greater accountability in one of the country’s most powerful yet opaque institutions.
The workshop, held Sept. 10–12 in Monrovia, was organized by the National Institute for Democratic Initiatives (NIMD) and UN Women under the Liberia Electoral Support Project, with funding from the European Union, Sweden, and Ireland. Twenty participants represented leading accountability groups such as IREDD, CENTAL, and IDAD, alongside advocacy networks including YOUNETPO, UMovement, ORWCH, WONGOSOL, and FLY. Media outlets present included LEGISPOOL, FrontPage Africa, OK FM, Daily Observer, and Women Voices.
Breaking Legislative Secrecy
NIMD Country Director Oscar Bloh said the training was designed to “foster strong, inclusive, and resilient democracies,” but he pointed to significant gaps in Liberia’s governance.
“Public access to committee reports, voting records, and draft legislation can be inconsistent, hindering scrutiny,” Bloh said. “This training will provide tools to track and score the legislature’s transparency, promoting greater openness.”
Bloh argued that the lack of systematic monitoring has enabled lawmakers to evade accountability. He said the sessions were tailored to address Liberia’s specific challenges by enhancing transparency, fostering citizen participation, and amplifying marginalized voices.
Watchdogs of Democracy
Discussions underscored the central role of CSOs and the press in checking power. Without an active watchdog culture, Bloh warned, “a vibrant and healthy democracy cannot exist.”
The program also applied a gender and inclusion lens, highlighting the underrepresentation of women, youth, and people with disabilities in policymaking. Trainers emphasized strategies to mobilize citizens and ensure their feedback shapes legislative processes. Participants reviewed regional case studies and international standards, including the Inter-Parliamentary Union benchmarks, to situate Liberia’s weaknesses in a global context.
Pledging Accountability
At the close of the training, participants formed a new coalition to act as a watchdog network. Members pledged to “leverage each other’s proximity, influence, contact, and expertise” to press lawmakers for transparency and ensure policymaking benefits all citizens.
“This is not just another training,” one participant told The Liberian Investigator. “It is a chance to hold legislators’ feet to the fire and demand accountability where secrecy has become the norm.”
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