Published: November 6, 2026
MONROVIA — Two of Liberia’s leading domestic election observation networks have signed a US$30,000 memorandum of understanding to strengthen collaboration and advance electoral reforms, with particular emphasis on women’s political representation, legislative seat apportionment, and the inclusion of marginalized groups ahead of the country’s 2029 general elections.
The Elections Coordinating Committee (ECC) and the Liberia Elections Observation Network (LEON) formalized the agreement Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2026, during a news conference in Monrovia attended by representatives of both organizations and other stakeholders.
The partnership seeks to strengthen public participation in electoral reform discussions and ensure policymakers and relevant electoral authorities consider recommendations from citizens and civil society organizations.
Reading a joint statement on behalf of the organizations, Pilate Johnson said the initiative would amplify the voices of diverse stakeholders and promote greater transparency, accountability and inclusiveness in Liberia’s electoral process.
Johnson explained that the project is being implemented with technical support from the Netherlands Institute for Multiparty Democracy (NIMD) under the Liberia Electoral Support Project (LESP), managed by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
The initiative is being implemented in partnership with UN Women and NIMD, with financial support from the European Union and the embassies of Ireland and Sweden.
“Under this MOU, ECC and LEON will coordinate advocacy activities, facilitate stakeholder engagements, generate public awareness, promote dialogue on priority electoral reform issues, and conduct public outreach campaigns,” Johnson said.
According to the statement, the partnership will prioritize increasing women’s political representation through Temporary Special Measures (TSMs), promoting participation among underrepresented groups and advocating for greater inclusion of young people and persons with disabilities in political and electoral activities.
The organizations will also focus on compliance with the legal framework governing legislative seat apportionment and constituency boundary delimitation, issues that remain central to discussions surrounding Liberia’s electoral system.
Under the agreement, ECC and LEON will jointly document recommendations from citizens and other stakeholders and present them to relevant institutions, including the National Elections Commission (NEC) and the National Legislature, for consideration during the electoral law reform process.
The organizations said meaningful electoral reforms must extend beyond changes to electoral institutions and procedures to address obstacles preventing citizens from participating fully in democratic governance.
“ECC and LEON believe that electoral reform should not be limited to institutional or technical adjustments, but must also address the barriers that prevent citizens, particularly women, young people, and persons with disabilities, from fully participating in the electoral process,” the statement said.
Both organizations reaffirmed their commitment to working with NIMD, civil society organizations and other democratic stakeholders to promote a transparent, participatory and accountable electoral reform process.
They emphasized that broader stakeholder engagement would be essential to ensuring that proposed reforms reflect the aspirations of Liberians and strengthen public confidence in the electoral system.
The partnership also seeks to create opportunities for citizens to contribute to policy discussions on electoral laws and political representation, while encouraging dialogue between electoral authorities, lawmakers and civil society actors.
ECC and LEON further called on political parties, the NEC, civil society organizations, the legislative and executive branches of government, development partners, the media and citizens to participate actively in ongoing electoral reform discussions.
The organizations maintained that inclusive participation and sustained collaboration would be necessary to address existing gaps in Liberia’s electoral framework and strengthen the country’s democratic institutions.
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